Beautiful Disaster
by DrarryForever-x
Summary: Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo’s and into Draco’s care, they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash.
1. Five Years Later

**Summary:** Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care, they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were.

**Warnings:** The only warning for this chapter is implied sexual feelings towards someone of the same sex. Don't, like it? Don't read it!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters or settings, they belong to all respective owners, including but not limited to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastic and Bloomsbury. I am making no profit from this story.

Chapter One: Five Years Later

Draco Malfoy had it all. He was rich, good looking and one of the most influential Healers that St. Mungo's had to offer. After the war had ended the Malfoy name was dirt to the entire wizarding community but Draco had soon discovered that gold went a long way in helping people to forget certain events, hence the new wing of the hospital that he was currently standing in that was home to the recently relocated Potion and Plant Poisoning department. Being the godson of the old potions master had some advantages - he had passed every exam that they had thrown at him here since deciding that he wanted to go into medicine. He shook his head slightly at the memory of his first day in the hospital; he had run into Neville Longbottom, who, while on his way to visit his parents, had wasted no time in telling him that he should be ashamed to work with vulnerable people and that nobody would ever want him anywhere near them. The outraged look on the ex-Gryffindor's boyish face had made him cringe and, for a long time, he had had serious doubts about whether or not this was the right path to take. A door to his right swung open violently, snapping Draco out of his reverie and bringing him back down to Earth with a thud.

"Male, twenty-two, suspected poisoning," a mediwitch was saying as a gurney was wheeled past him, "he works in the Auror office, he was brought in by his partner."

"How long has he been like this?" Draco strode alongside the moving crowd, frowning down at the petite nurse.

"He was brought in as soon as it happened, training mishap apparently," she replied

"Great, another mess for us to clean up," he muttered as they manoeuvred their way into an empty room, "one, two three!" They grabbed the sheets around the patient and lifted him swiftly onto the bed.

"Someone get me a chart for this guy, I want him analysed as quickly as possible and an antidote administered. Nurse Stevens, if you wouldn't mind running to the supply cupboard and bringing a few phials of all the most common potions?"

"Of course, Healer Malfoy," the mediwitch hurried from the room and Draco approached the unconscious man before him, removing his stethoscope from around his neck and popping one side in each ear.

"Heartbeat's a little irregular, can we speed things up a bit?" He said loudly, looking down at the patient's pale face, starkly contrasted by his messy black hair. Comprehension dawned on Draco's face as his eyes raked his hairline for the lightning scar that he knew only too well. Shit, he thought to himself, there is no way I'm going to be the guy that killed Harry Potter.

"Sir, i-it could be one of... one of three things that has caused this reaction," a trainee Healer stammered, looking at his notes.

"Well? Which is it?" Draco snapped, "we don't have all day to decide, Parker."

"I think..." The young doctor faltered, "I... it's most likely this, sir," he finished, thrusting the clipboard into Draco's hands, who skimmed the notes and nodded briskly.

"I agree. So how do we proceed?"

The young man looked terrified and his eyes darted from the door back to Draco. "I would suggest a mixture of Doxy antidote and the potion used for Venomous Tentacula bites as a way of initially fighting the poison, a phial of Dreamless Sleep to help him sleep off the nausea and I would carry out further tests when he wakes up tomorrow to make sure that there is nothing we've missed," he held his breath as he looked up at his mentor, cowering slightly. There was a pause.

"Exactly right, Parker," his student exhaled shakily and grinned from ear to ear. "What are you waiting for, a medal? Follow Nurse Stevens and bring back the supplies you need. Now!"

Draco watched as Parker scurried from the room and he sighed as he approached Harry's lifeless form. A few moments passed before he heard hurried footfalls approaching the room and he turned to see the young doctor carrying a tray with three small phials balanced on top, one full of shocking pink liquid, another dark green and the third a shimmering, pearlescent blue.

"I have the potions, sir" he panted, reaching Harry's bedside

"I can see that," Draco drawled, "pass me the Doxy antidote, please."

The bottle was pressed into his outstretched hand and he pulled out the stopper as a mediwitch propped Potter up with pillows. Tipping his head back, Draco poured the potion down the exposed throat in front of him and he felt his patient go rigid. Taking the second bottle from the tray, he opened it and poured the steaming green liquid into Harry's mouth. Instantly, the dark haired man's shoulders sagged and magnificent green eyes fluttered open, darting around the room blearily.

"Wha-" he coughed violently, wrenching himself into an upright position. "Where am I?"

"You're in St Mungos, Potter. You were poisoned," Draco explained, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and pushing back against his pillows. "Do you remember anything about what happened?"

"Wait... Malfoy? What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, glaring up at him

"I'm the head Healer of this department, but that is neither here nor there. I asked you whether or not you remembered anything about today."

Harry looked down at his hands, his face screwed up in concentration. He nodded slowly. "We were at the office, practising brewing a potion as part of our training. I tried Ron's and then I just remember being on the floor. Did Ron's potion do this to me?"

"I believe so," Draco concurred, "There doesn't appear to be anything else in your system that could cause as adverse a reaction. We did find a high level of Calming Draught in your bloodstream, however, could you explain that to me, please?"

Harry shifted awkwardly in his seat. "I have a stressful job, that's all. Auror training is pretty full-on and I work long hours," he replied, not making eye contact. "I'm not some sort of addict."

"I didn't say anything of the sort, Potter; it's simply my job to notice things like this and to worry about my patients' wellbeing," the blonde explained, "all I meant was -"

"Harry? Oh, Harry, thank God you're alright!"

Draco turned to see a harassed-looking Ginny Weasley standing in the doorway, broomstick in tow. What the hell is the she-weasel doing here? he thought to himself, looking her up and down. And why has she brought a broomstick into a hospital?!

"Can I help you?"

Ginny looked up at him, her expression full of loathing. "I'm his wife."

Looking back at Harry, he saw the dark-haired man slump further back against his pillows, looking drained. "Ginny, I'm fine, it was an accident. I'll be out of here in a few minutes," he said wearily.

"I don't care if it was an accident, this is just another example of my brother's carelessness," the redhead fumed, folding her arms across her chest. "Were you not paying the blindest bit of attention to what he was doing? This is so bloody typical of you two, it's like the blind leading the sodding blind!"

"Ginny," Harry sighed. "Please just wait outside. I'll be out there in a few minutes and we can go home, okay?"

"I can't go home! I've just left Quidditch practice and if I don't get back there soon to work on our new tactics then we won't have a hope in hell of winning the cup this year," Ginny huffed

"Fine," Harry said, gritting his teeth. "You go back to practice and I'll finish up here."

"Actually," Draco cut in as Ginny opened her mouth to retort, "I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere until we've run further tests."

"More tests?" Harry looked up, puzzled. "But I feel fine."

"Even so, I'd feel far more comfortable keeping you in overnight for inspection. The list of side-effects of incorrectly mixed potions is extensive and I just want to be sure that there is nothing I've missed," Draco gave him a meaningful look before turning to face Ginny. "I'm sorry, Mrs Potter, but there is really no point in you being here. I am going to give your husband some Dreamless Sleep, and the chances are he will be out until tomorrow morning. I suggest that you back to your training."

Ginny looked taken-aback at this, and looked from Draco to Harry and back again. When it became apparent that her husband was not going to argue, she picked up her broomstick, turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

"Thanks," said Harry gratefully, "I'm really not in the mood today."

"No, I can't imagine anyone would be after being poisoned," Draco smirked. "But I'm beginning to understand why you might find solace in a good Calming Draught."

He pulled a small phial from the pocket of his robes and pressed it into Harry's hand, ignoring the blank look that he was giving him. "Drink this, it'll help you sleep through the night. I'll check on you later to see how you're feeling and we'll decide how to proceed in the morning. I doubt that you'll suffer anything long-term, we can most likely put this down to extreme stupidity on Weasley's part."

Harry chuckled appreciatively and downed the bottle of potion in his hand. Taking the now empty phial from him, Draco placed it on the cabinet at the side of the bed and wondered briefly why Potter allowed his wife to talk to him like she did. The Potter he'd known at school was always to self-righteous and stubborn, now he seemed to be completely worn down. Is that what life with a woman does to you? he wondered as the brunette's eyes fluttered closed. If so, he thought, then I'm definitely not missing out.

-x-

It took Harry a few moments to realise that he was not in his bedroom when he woke up, with bright lights pressing in against his eyelids and the dampened sound of movement outside his door. Opening his eyes slowly, he felt for his glasses on the bedside cabinet and squinted against the morning sun pouring in through the window. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and pulled on the dressing gown that he found in a bag full of his things on the chair. No doubt Hermione had brought them in last night while he was asleep. He looked around the room as he poured a glass of water from the jug on the nightstand. He hated hospitals. The way they smelled, the way they looked - why did everything have to be so white and sterile looking? It reminded him horribly of his Aunt Petunia's gleaming kitchen and he gave an involuntary shudder. The door opened behind him and he turned to see Malfoy, in his pristine Healers' robes, cross the threshold and pick up the clipboard at the end of his bed. He examined it quickly and nodded.

"Feeling better today?" he enquired, looking up from the chart.

"Yeah, I suppose so," Harry replied with a noncommittal shrug.

"Excellent. Well, I expect that you'll be wanting to get home to your wife soon and everything is looking normal here so I see no reason for you to stay."

Harry nodded fervently. He was desperate to leave: all this white was giving him a headache. "Yes please, if there's nothing else you need from me."

"There's a form that you will need to fill out at the reception but that's all," said Malfoy, "please don't let me see you in here again, Potter."

"I promise," Harry replied, smiling, "I've definitely learned my lesson."

Harry turned and walked towards the chair where his bag lay. He could hear the scratching of a quill behind him and took this to mean that Malfoy was suitably occupied not to notice him getting dressed. Stuffing his dressing gown in the already over-filled holdall and pulling on his jeans quickly, he began tugging at the knot in the back of his hospital gown. Looking up from his note-taking, Malfoy noticed that Harry was undressing and hastily pocketed his quill.

"I'm sorry, Potter, I didn't realise you were changing. I'll get one of the nurses to look out that form for you."

"Wait, before you go, could you please un-do this knot for me? I can't quite reach it," he replied, looking embarrassed. Draco hesitated.

"Sure. Hold still then," he said, his slender fingers pulling at the ties of the gown.

"Cold hands!" Harry yelped as the blonde's fingers brushed against his exposed back.

"Sorry," Draco smirked, "I probably should have warned you about that." He freed the second knot and the flimsy robe fell forward, revealing an expanse of tanned back and the white waistband of the other man's boxers, just above his jeans. Allowing his eyes to wander for no more than a second, Draco mentally scolded himself. This was a patient! And not just any patient, this was Harry Potter. A very straight, very married, Harry Potter! Clearing his throat and taking a step backwards, Draco placed a hand on the doorframe to steady himself. "I'm going to let one of the nurses know that you'll be out in a second. They will have the form ready for you. If you'll excuse me, I have other patients to attend to before rounds."

Harry opened his mouth to ask which way he went to get to the reception but Malfoy was already gone. Pulling his T-shirt over his head, he rubbed the goosebumps which had appeared on his arms, feeling that they had nothing to do with the cold.

-x-

**A/N:** Not the longest chapter but I promise, they do get better! I'm going to take my time in developing Harry and Draco's relationship so I apologise to everyone who, like me, hates Ginny...


	2. New Beginnings

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Warnings:**__Drunk!Harry, bitch!Ginny_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_Chapter Two: New Beginnings_

Harry looked up from the Daily Prophet as Ginny walked into the kitchen, pulling her long hair back into a ponytail and making her way over to the teapot.

"Morning, love," he said through a mouthful of toast, "busy day today?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," she grimaced, pouring milk into her cup and reaching for the sugar bowl. Ginny was the captain of the Holyhead Harpies and, as proud as he was of his wife, this role put her under a lot of stress. She had always had a very volatile temperament but Harry was finding her increasing short-temperedness difficult to live with. Mornings like these were few and far between. "Quality Quidditch Supplies have completely screwed up our order for this season's robes, so I'll have to stop off at Diagon Alley this morning to take care of that; practice was rescheduled because our best Keeper managed to break her leg and wound up in St Mungos; I'm meant to be meeting mum and Alicia for lunch to discuss her wedding and I've been roped into babysitting Daniel this evening while my brother and Hermione go out on the town!"

"Ginny, they're hardly going out on the town; they're having dinner with Hermione's parents," Harry laughed

"Still, I don't see why they couldn't take him with them!" she snapped

"Would you like to take a three year old to a restaurant? I didn't think so," he added as her face dropped, "I think we can give them one night to themselves."

Ginny huffed. "I suppose so. Oh, what time is it?"

Harry looked at his wrist but his watch was nowhere in sight. "Have you seen my watch? The one your mum gave to me?"

"No, I haven't, sorry. I'm sure it can't be far," she said over her shoulder as she peered into the living room. "Damn, it's almost nine o'clock! I have to go now but I'll see you later, okay? I should be back around dinner time."

"That's fine, I don't really have a lot to do today. Do you want me to pick up Danny for you?"

"Would you?" she kissed his cheek, "that would be great. I've got to run but I'll let Hermione know that you'll get him around lunchtime."

"Okay, take care!" he called as she dashed out of the kitchen.

He stood up as he heard the front door slam and piled his dishes beside the sink. Making his way up to the bathroom, it suddenly occurred to him where his watch might be: St Mungos. Harry never took his watch off and he didn't remember seeing it in the hospital room when he woke up yesterday. He was willing to bet that one of the mediwitches removed it when he was admitted. Turning on the shower, he sighed. St Mungos was the last place he wanted to be this morning, as going there meant seeing Malfoy. He was feeling a little awkward after their last meeting and he couldn't help noticing how strange the other man had been acting. He pulled his t-shirt and boxers off and stepped into the shower, allowing the hot water to sooth his aching muscles. He heard what sounded like a knock at the front door as he reached for the soap and he paused.

"Kreacher?" he called, "is that you?"

No answer. Pulling a towel firmly around his waist and stepping out of the shower, Harry made his way down the stairs, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes. He noticed that Ginny had left her keys sitting on the sideboard and he realised that she must have forgotten something in her haste to leave that morning.

"You'd forget your head if it wasn't screwed on," he laughed, pulling the door open

"I could say the same to you, Potter," drawled Malfoy, gazing appreciatively at Harry's naked torso. "You appear to have forgotten your clothes."

"I was taking a shower," Harry replied defensively, folding his arms across his chest

"Do you always answer the door in a towel?" the blonde enquired, raising an eyebrow

"No, I thought it was Ginny," he explained. "I wasn't expecting you. How did you know where I live?"

"It's on your medical records. Plus, it's on my way home so I thought I'd drop this in," he held out his hand. "You forgot your watch."

"Oh, er… thanks. I was going to pop in later to pick it up anyway."

"Well, now you don't have to. Anyway, I'd better get going, I've just finished a twelve hour shift, so…"

"Yeah, I need to pick up my nephew soon so I should get ready," Harry ran a hand through his hair, feeling awkward.

"Okay, well, I'll see you later then, Potter," Draco gave Harry one last sweeping glance before pulling his cloak tighter around himself and making his way down the garden path. Harry watched his retreating form for a few moments before calling after him.

"Hey Malfoy, do you want to come in?"

"Pardon?" he turned to face him, looking puzzled

"Never mind, I was just going to ask if - if you wanted a cup of tea. You, er… you look cold," Harry finished lamely

Draco paused briefly before walking back up the path towards Harry. "Tea would be lovely, thank you."

Taking the other man's cloak and hanging it by the door, Harry called for Kreacher and ushered his guest into the sitting room. "I'll be back in a minute," he said, before hurrying upstairs to get dressed.

He wasn't altogether sure why he had invited Malfoy in but he put it down to him being grateful that he had brought him his watch. It appeared that his old rival seemed to be ready to put their past behind them and Harry was intrigued to see where this would lead. He quickly toweled off and pulled on socks and underwear before searching for a clean t-shirt. When he was fully dressed, he made his way back down to the living room, where Kreacher was standing with a tray laden with saucers, teacups, biscuits and a teapot.

"Thank you, Kreacher. You can just put it on the coffee table," Harry gestured to the elf, who did what was asked of him before bowing deeply.

"Master has invited a Malfoy into the house of Black, Kreacher's mistress would be happy, yes she would. Kreacher knows what makes his mistress happy, not blood traitors and filth, oh no…"

"Kreacher, stop that. I've warned you before!" Harry stood up to shoo him away, closing the door behind him. "Sorry about him, he's really old and a bit mad," he said apologetically, running his hand through his hair again.

"That's alright. He seemed to approve of my presence anyway," Draco said, smirking as he poured hot tea into two cups. "What do you take in yours?"

"Milk and two please," Harry replied, gratefully taking the proffered cup.

Both men quietly drank their tea and there was a moment before anyone spoke. Draco laid his cup on the coffee table and turned to face the brunette.

"So, your wife seems like a bitch."

Harry snorted with laughter into his teacup and resurfaced, choking as the hot liquid burned his throat. "She's not always like that. Just when she's stressed," he replied when he had regained his composure.

"And how often is she stressed?" Malfoy asked, his eyebrow raised

Harry paused. "Okay, most of the time," he admitted, still grinning. "She's alright sometimes."

"Surely you knew what she was like when you married her though," the Slytherin reasoned, reaching for his cup and taking a sip of tea.

Harry sighed. He didn't know why he was discussing this with Draco Malfoy of all people but, if he was honest with himself, it was something that he needed to talk about. There was nobody else he could say these things to without it somehow getting back to Ginny. He stared into his teacup, not making eye contact with man in front of him.

"She was always… passionate. Aggressive, some would say. I always saw a softer side to her that she kept hidden from everyone else and it felt like it was just for me. We got married soon after the war, pretty much because that's what we were expected to do and I wanted to keep her parents happy. Molly and Arthur have been so good to me over the years but when we told them that we were going to get married, they were so excited that they insisted we do it at The Burrow and Ginny had it planned within a month."

"And you feel that you were rushed into it?" Draco asked delicately

"No. Well… yeah, maybe a bit," he replied hesitantly, "Everyone says that your wedding day is the happiest day of your life but… I don't know, maybe that just applies to the bride. It's her day, really."

"You weren't happy on your wedding day then?"

"I didn't say that I wasn't happy, I just… why am I even telling you this? It doesn't matter. I love Ginny, I do." Harry nodded for emphasis.

"Who are you trying to convince, Potter – me or you?" the blond arched an eyebrow and Harry felt a stab of irritation.

"I'm not trying to convince anybody of anything. I have nothing to prove."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to push you or anything," Draco said hastily, setting his cup down on the table again. "Anyway, I'd better be getting home now; I'm on night shift again tonight."

"Okay," he replied, not knowing what else to say.

"I can see myself out," Malfoy said, standing up but Harry stood as well and placed a hand on the other man's arm

"Listen, sorry for snapping. I usually don't talk about this stuff. It's easier to just never think about it to be honest."

"I understand, Potter. You would probably drive yourself insane if you dwelled on your doubts," he replied with a slight smile. He placed a slender hand on the brunette's shoulder. "If you ever need an impartial ear…"

Harry nodded. "Thanks Malfoy," he paused awkwardly. "Erm… let me get your cloak."

"That's quite alright, I can get it myself," the taller man opened the living room door and they stepped into the hall. Pulling on his cloak, Draco glanced at Harry before letting the front door swing open. "Thank you for the tea."

"Oh, that's alright. I enjoyed the company to be honest," Harry laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're not so bad, Malfoy."

"Why, thank you, your highness," the Slytherin replied, pretending to bow. "I suppose you're not too bad yourself."

Harry laughed again, watching the other man descend the steps into his garden and follow the path towards the gate. Closing the front door, he heard his name.

"Hey, Potter!" he opened it again to find Malfoy leaning on his front gate. "There's a fundraiser being held for the hospital and I have a few tickets to give away at my discretion. You can have a couple, if you'd like, for you and Weasley."

"Yeah, that would be great. Black tie sort of event, yeah?"

"Indeed. I assume you do have dress robes?" Draco smirked, a hint of his old self recognisable in his tone

"Erm… I have the ones that Molly got me in fourth year, the green ones. Those will do, won't they?" Harry asked, frowning. Draco's face dropped.

"You can't wear those to a hospital fundraiser! Can't you ask your wife to pick you up a new set while she's out?"

"Ginny? Set aside ten minutes out of her day to do me a favour?" Harry looked incredulous. "I don't think so. When do I need them by?"

"Friday night. I'll drop the tickets off tonight on my way to work. You can have two for Granger and the Weasel as well," Malfoy replied, his expression distasteful.

"I'll have to go tomorrow then, I won't have time after work any day next week," he said, more to himself than to anyone else.

"Then tomorrow it is. You will buy new robes and come to the party on Friday, your wife can get dressed up and feel important, you can meet some interesting people and I can sleep easier at night knowing that they're not going to cut my department's budget again this year due to lack of funding," Draco replied matter-of-factly. "Well, I'll be off, Potter, but I'll see you on Friday. And try to do something with your hair." With that, the blond turned on the spot and vanished with a loud _crack_, leaving Harry staring at the spot where he had been standing.

-x-

"Daniel, stop that this instant and sit properly!" Ginny snapped at the small child beside her. "I'm serious; you're not leaving the table without finishing your dinner!"

"Calm down, Gin, he's just bored. There's no need to yell at him," Harry said calmly as toddler began to whine. "It's okay, Danny, we can finish it later, can't we?"

He stood and scooped his nephew up, spinning him around a few times before setting him on the floor beside his toys. He ruffled Daniel's hair and began to clear the table, carrying the dirty plates into the kitchen.

"Why do you do that?" Ginny asked, following him over to the sink

"Do what, Ginny?" he asked wearily, as hot water flowed from the tip of his wand onto the dishes.

"Don't say my name like that, don't patronise me," she threw him a withering look. "You completely undermine my authority in every situation!"

"Every situation?" Harry laughed. "For god's sake, Gin, you were yelling at a three year old for not wanting to sit still. I thought you were being a bit unreasonable, that was why I stepped in. I do not undermine your authority in every situation."

"Oh no? What about when I said that I didn't want you having a bachelor party before we got married and you went ahead and had one anyway?"

"Merlin, when are you going to let that go? Your brothers organised a night out and I went to the Three Broomsticks with a few friends, that's it! It wasn't even a bachelor party!" he said exasperatedly, not looking up from the sink

"I don't care what you call it, you still didn't listen to me! You never listen!" she said, stomping her foot

"It's hard not to listen when you're constantly yelling at me, Ginny! I think everyone in the street hears what you say!" Harry replied, gesturing wildly and splashing water all over the kitchen.

"Oh, so you hear what I say but you just choose to ignore it, is that it?" she placed her hands on her hips, her brown eyes narrowed.

"No, that's not it. And I refuse to argue about this with Danny in the next room," he said flatly, drying his hands on the towel by the door. He could see Ginny opening her mouth to retort so he cut across her with most infuriating thing that he could think of: "You know, when you stand like that, Gin, you really look like your mother."

He had done it now. Darting behind the door and into the living room, he made his way to the hall, Ginny's screeches following him as he grabbed his cloak. He wrenched open the front door before she could catch him and, without a backwards glance, he was down the path and out the gate. He hurried down the street, paying little attention to where his feet were taking him, and felt himself collide with something solid. Blinking a few times, he took a step back to see Draco Malfoy looking similarly dazed.

"Malfoy," he greeted him with a slight nod, "what are you doing here?"

"I told you that I would be dropping off those tickets tonight," the other man replied, his brow furrowed, "did you forget?"

"No, no, of course not, I just… never mind," Harry shook his head, "are you on your way to the hospital now?"

"Actually, my shifts have been moved around again so I'm not working until tomorrow night," he explained. Harry gave him a puzzled look.

"I thought you were handing the tickets in on your way to work. You could have just sent them by owl, you know. Or do you live nearby?"

"No, not particularly," he shrugged, "I just fancied a walk. What are you doing out at this time anyway? I thought you were babysitting tonight or something."

"I was, I mean… I am. Me and Ginny just… and I needed to… y'know…" he trailed off

"I see. Well, I was on my way to the pub just now and you are more than welcome to join me. If you want to, that is. I'd understand if your wife wouldn't want you out drinking with me; she didn't seem too pleased to see me at the hospital."

Harry thought for a moment before answering. It was true, Ginny wouldn't be happy that he had been drinking with Malfoy but he didn't have to sculpt his life around what she wanted. She was his wife, not his bloody keeper, and he was sick and tired of her treating him like something she'd stepped in. "Sure, a drink sounds great."

They set off together, their awkward conversation carrying them through the cold grey streets of London until they reached a small, cosy-looking pub called the Golden Snitch. He smirked.

"I would never have thought that you would drink in a place like this, Malfoy." He gazed around at the Quidditch memorabilia that adorned the walls and ceilings.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Draco raised an eyebrow as he pulled off his cloak.

"Nothing, I just pictured you in a trendy bar or a nightclub, that's all. I didn't think you'd be into having a few down the local," he took the blond's cloak and hung it, along with his own, on the coat stand by the door. Draco laughed.

"I'm just full of surprises, Potter."

They made their way over to a vacant booth at the back of the pub, the barman waving as they passed.

"'Evening, Mr Malfoy. The usual?"

Draco turned to Harry. "What are you drinking?"

"Erm… butterbeer?" Harry shrugged

"I'm not sitting with you drinking butterbeer!" he scoffed. He turned back to the barman. "Two of the usual please, Alfie. Better make them doubles."

Alfie nodded and busied himself with their drinks. Draco watched as Harry made his way over to the table and sat down but quickly averted his gaze when the other man looked up. Paying nine sickles for the drinks, he lifted them and carried them carefully over to where Harry was sitting. The brunette eyed the glass warily.

"What's that?"

"Firewhisky," Draco replied shortly, "drink it slowly if you've never had it before; I don't want to have to carry you home."

Harry sniffed the amber liquid and his eyes stung. Taking a deep breath, he tipped his head back and took a mouthful, the drink burning his throat on its way down. He coughed, wiping his streaming eyes on his sleeve. Malfoy surveyed him over the top of his glass, torn between exasperation and amusement.

"I told you to sip it."

"And I told you I wanted a butterbeer," Harry choked, setting his drink on the table.

"I'm assuming you're not much of a drinker then, if all you know is butterbeer," Draco took another sip of whisky, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

"I drink mead at Ginny's parent's house or the Three Broomsticks. Molly and Arthur have a lot of big dinners in the summer, out in the garden, and Bill usually brings stuff," Harry shifted uncomfortably under Draco's gaze. "Apart from that I don't really bother. I never have cause to, unless I'm going out with the guys."

The blond nodded. "I started drinking after the war ended. I liked it here because it's quiet and nobody really bothered me. Now I'm here so often that nobody gives me a second glance. Don't get me wrong – I'm not some raging alcoholic, I just find that this is the most relaxing way of winding down after a busy day at the hospital."

"I don't know how you spend twelve hours a day in that place," Harry said, taking a draught of firewhisky. "I hate it there."

"I suppose I just wanted to do something worthwhile," he replied after a long pause. "I hated the thought of all the awful things that I'd done during the war and how lucky I was not to be in a cell in Azkaban. My father is still in there and my mother was under house arrest for three years. I still don't know how I escaped it."

There was silence. Draco drained his glass and looked to Harry, an odd expression on his face. "Another round?" he asked, getting to his feet.

"I'll get it," Harry offered, pulling his wallet out of his jeans.

Draco sat down and watched the other man get to his feet and walk over to the bar. His mind was slightly clouded, not nearly enough to be drunk, but enough to know that there was something strange about the way he was feeling. He shook his head as if to clear it. He wanted to show people that he wasn't the same person anymore, that he had changed. He knew that he was no longer the spoilt, vindictive brat that he'd been at school but he couldn't understand his desperation to prove it to Harry Potter. He was brought out of his reverie by a shot glass being shoved under his nose.

"Here," Harry said, handing him a drink. "Bottoms up."

"Cheers," Draco replied, clinking their glasses together. They both gulped the alcohol back and Harry screwed up his face in disgust.

"How can you drink this stuff?" he demanded, slamming his glass down on the table.

"Believe me, it gets better the more you have," Draco smirked, placing his glass down beside Harry's. "That's why you should drink doubles."

Over an hour passed and neither of them was feeling remotely awkward anymore. Harry had been apprehensive at first but it appeared that Malfoy had changed a lot since their days at Hogwarts. He wasn't sure if he could fully trust him but the ex-Slytherin had done nothing to make him think otherwise and this friendship, if that's what they could call it, was definitely welcome.

They drank and talked about what they had done in the past few years. They talked about the war, and Ginny, and Draco's mother. They talked about their friends, their fears, their hobbies, and their jobs. They laughed about their fights at school and they admitted their hopes for the future. Harry couldn't remember talking and laughing so much in a long time. Neither of them could remember ever having as much fun.

"I don't think I can do another one."

"Of course you can," Draco insisted, getting to his feet and going over to the bar.

"Four more please, Alfie."

He paid for the drinks and took them back over to their table. Harry took a little coercing but, finally, they knocked them back and Draco wondered if he maybe should have listened to the other man before plying him with more drinks. Harry looked up at him, his eyes unfocused. He opened and closed his mouth a few times. After a moment, he laughed loudly and quickly covered his mouth as though embarrassed by what had just come out of it.

"Ginny's going to be so angry," he whispered gleefully as he wobbled to his feet.

"How the hell did you get so drunk?" Draco looked horrified as the brunette lost his footing and stumbled into the table. "You didn't even have that many!"

"Dunno," he sniggered. "S'funny though."

"I'm not sure you'll be saying that when your wife sees you in this state," Malfoy replied, grabbing the top of Harry's arm to steady him. "Come on, I'm taking you home."

-x-

**A/N:** _Ohhh, Ginny's not going to be too happy when Harry gets home, is she? Now it's time to review! Hehe, go on… you know you want to…_


	3. The Power of Darkness

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Warnings: **__Creepy!Draco_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N:**__ Well, guys, I can't thank you enough for the lovely reviews you're all giving me. It really makes my day seeing a full inbox! I've noticed that a lot of people add me to their favourites list but don't review – come on, just tell me what you think. I need reviews for motivation! Anyway, I am off to Tenerife (which is one of the Canary Islands for anyone who lives too far away to holiday in Europe!) tomorrow (YAY!) and won't be back for a week so I'm updating early. Please review, I want at least ten new ones by the time I come home! It'll give me something to think about during the four hours on the plane... x_

_Chapter Three:__ The Power of Darkness_

It was the day of the hospital fundraiser and Ginny hadn't spoken to Harry all week. He bought her flowers and a box of Honeydukes finest chocolates but she complained that they would make her fat. He took her to Diagon Alley and treated her to new dress robes for the fundraiser but she hadn't given him a word of thanks. He bought her a beautiful emerald and diamond necklace but even that hadn't made the blindest bit of difference. He didn't have a clue as to what to do next.

When he'd stumbled in through the front door the previous weekend she had given him a look of sheer disgust before stomping up the stairs. He began to follow her but was knocked off his feet by a rolled-up duvet being hurled at him from the top of the stairs. He had shakily gotten to his feet but was promptly knocked over again as two pillows hit him square in the face, one after the other.

"You can sleep on the couch," she had spat, before turning on her heel and disappearing from view.

Harry rubbed his eyes wearily, staring blankly at the paperwork in front of him. He had been trying to write up his report for over an hour but, so far, had come up with nothing. He hadn't been sleeping well and, though she had allowed him to return to their bed, the tension between himself and Ginny was starting to take its toll. He tried hard to keep acting normal but she was giving him nothing in return and it felt like he was constantly running at a brick wall. He wasn't sure how much more he could take; something had to give. There was a knock at the door and he looked up to see the grinning face of Ron Weasley.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked, taking a seat across from Harry. "You look stressed."

"I'm fine," Harry lied. "Just tired. This report for Kingsley isn't any closer to being finished either."

"Tell me about it. I've just been to see him and he says that we can leave at five as long as we get it done over the weekend."

"Is Hermione still bouncing at the thought of meeting all the hospital donors then?" Harry laughed, remembering his friend's face when he had given her the tickets.

"Mate, she hasn't been able to sit still all week," Ron grinned. "She's desperate to rub shoulders with all the hospital bigwigs. She's hoping to get some recognition for her potions work."

"And so she should!" said Harry, and Ron beamed. Hermione had spent the last two years developing potions to help long-term illnesses such as restoring normal brain function to those whose minds had been addled with magic. She had drawn inspiration from the story of Frank and Alice Longbottom, Neville's parents.

Ron got to his feet and dusted off his robes. "Five o'clock, remember? Not a minute later. We'll be at your house for seven and then we can all just Apparate from there, okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Harry replied, nodding. "I'll see you then."

-x-

At quarter to seven, Ginny was pacing back and forth in their bedroom, wearing only her underwear. Harry was fully dressed in his brand new robes and his hair was almost behaving for the first time in his life. He looked at his watch.

"Ginny, you really need to get ready now. Ron and Hermione will be here any minute."

"I still don't understand why I need to go to this thing. If you've been invited because you gave money to the hospital then that's your business. I'm still annoyed with you and I don't see why I should do you a favour."

Harry bit his lip. He hadn't told anyone the real reason that they had been invited. He knew that his new-found friendship with Malfoy would raise questions that he wasn't sure he was ready to answer so he had simply told them that he had donated money to the new wing of the hospital. He decided to end this ridiculous situation and closed the space between them.

"Harry, stop it," she snapped as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Get off me!"

"No, this is ridiculous. I did something stupid but you are being really childish about it," he said, feeling her stiffen. "I'm sorry that I upset you but you have to let it go. Please. I want you to come with me tonight."

A few moments passed before she allowed herself to relax into the hug. He tightened the embrace and kissed the top of her shoulder. "Please, Ginny," he whispered against her neck and she nodded against his chest.

"I'm sorry I've been so horrible lately," she replied quietly. She leaned up to kiss him gently, her lips soft against his. He ran his fingers down her bare back, relishing in the feeling of her soft, pale skin. It had been so long since he had touched her and, no matter how bad things were between them, he had to admit that he missed it. He loved her sweet, flowery scent and her long, red hair, like silk flowing through his fingers. He wasn't willing to accept the possibility that the fire in their relationship had gone out. He was married to his best friend and they had a beautifully simple, comfortable routine. He had no reason to look for anything more – after everything that had happened in his life, it was nice to have some stability. Harry caught sight of the clock above Ginny's head.

"Shit, you need to get dressed!"

"Putting clothes _on_ is the last thing on my mind," she purred, running a finger across his chest and looking up at him through long lashes. He laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh no, you can't do this to me just now. We have to go in ten minutes," he gently steered her towards the bed, where her new robes were laid out. "You put those on and I'll wait downstairs."

She pouted but did as he asked. He was halfway down the stairs when he heard a knock at the front door. "Ginny, that's them here. You need to hurry up!"

He took the last few stairs two at a time and pulled back the latch on the door. It swung open to reveal Ron and Hermione, huddled against the bitter wind in thick winter cloaks.

"Come on, mate, we're freezing our arses off out here!" said Ron, rubbing his hands together.

"I think what he means is: can we come in please?" said Hermione, looking reproachfully at her boyfriend.

Harry laughed and stood to one side, allowing his friends to make their way into the living room. "Ginny's just getting ready now."

"Leave it to her, eh? I wouldn't be surprised if she was late for her own funeral," Ron joked, shaking his head.

Hermione threw Ron a distasteful look before turned her attention to Harry. "Do you know which board members are going to be at this dinner tonight?"

"No, I have no idea," he shrugged, "I think Neville and Luna are going though, they both do a lot for the hospital."

Ten minutes passed before Ginny appeared in the doorway. "Are we going then?"

"About bloody time," Ron huffed, getting to his feet. They stepped into the hall and he wrapped Hermione's cloak around her before reaching for his own. "You'll need to wrap up warm; it's freezing out there." he warned.

"This had better be good," Ginny muttered under her breath as she opened the front door and eyed the icy ground warily before walking down into the garden. The others followed suit and with a brief glance around to make sure that there was no-one in sight, they each turned on the spot and vanished with a loud _crack_.

A few moments of almost unbearable discomfort passed and Harry reappeared, though he was no longer in London, that was for sure. Instead of ugly, oppressive buildings and noisy traffic they were surrounded by rolling hills, rugged scenery and huge forests. The sky was completely clear and the air was fresh; Harry inhaled deeply, gazing up at the many stars scattered across the velvety sky. A large manor was situated at the bottom of the grounds and the four friends began to make their way down the path towards it.

"This place is huge!" said Ron, his mouth gaping as he looked around.

"It's vulgar," said Ginny, obviously working hard to disguise how much she liked it, "I don't know why some people feel the need to brag about their wealth like this."

"I don't know, Gin, I wouldn't say no to a house like that if it was offered," replied Harry, smirking.

Hermione laughed. "I have to agree with you there, this place is amazing!"

Finally reaching the huge oak doors at the front of the house, they were greeted by two house elves, who bowed and promptly took their cloaks. Ushering them inside, the small creatures showed them to the dining area and they took their seats at one of the round tables.

_My whole house could fit in this room_, thought Harry as he picked up his name tag and pinned it to his chest. He looked across the table to see that Neville and Luna would be sitting with them, along with another couple that Harry didn't know. The room was slowly filling up and he could tell by the looks on everyone's faces that they were just as impressed as he had been by the grandeur of the house. By the time everyone was seated and the trays of free champagne had been ferried around the hall, it was almost eight o'clock and Harry was beginning to get restless. Just as he checked his watch, a large, older wizard took centre stage at the front of the hall and cleared his throat importantly. Pointing his wand at his throat, he muttered _sonorus_, and pulled a piece of parchment from the inside of his dress robes._ Great_, Harry thought to himself, _this is going to a long night_...

-x-

Harry gazed around at the crowds of people scattered throughout the enormous room. After dinner it had been announced that there would be an open bar and a chance to mingle with the hospital board members.

"I had no idea that you would be here tonight, Potter," Kingsley Shacklebolt was saying, clapping Harry on the shoulder. "I'm assuming that this is the _emergency_ that Weasley spoke of when he came to me this afternoon?"

The Minister gave a hearty laugh as Harry looked sheepishly at the floor. "It's alright, Harry, it's for a good cause. Just make sure that you have that report on my desk on Monday morning!" He laughed again before turning and making his way over to where Andromeda Tonks stood with Teddy. Harry smiled as the young boy caught sight of him and began tugging on his grandmother's sleeve. Shaking him off impatiently, she nodded towards Harry and the child ran towards him at a speed that caused the surrounding groups to jump out of the way, looking alarmed. Bending to pick him up, Harry groaned and quickly righted the youngster, laughing wheezily.

"You're too heavy for that now!"

"You do it to Daniel," Teddy pouted, his hair changing from blue to green.

"Don't be like that," Harry ruffled his hair. "Danny's only little – you're almost six!"

The boy's face changed instantly and his eyes shone with excitement. "Nana said that she'll buy me a broom for my birthday!"

"Did she really?" Harry knew that there was no way in Hell that Andromeda would agree to buy him a broom but he humoured him. "Which one is she buying you?"

"The same as yours!"

Harry laughed and Teddy's face broke into a grin. "Do you want to see what I found?"

He extended his hand and Harry took it, allowing his Godson to lead him to the back of the room and out the doors. Hurrying through the vast entrance hall, he was dragged through a door and suddenly found himself in a tiny room, filled with Quidditch memorabilia.

"How did you find this place?" Harry leaned in to examine a photo of an old Quidditch team, the players of which were smiling and waving up at him. "Did your Gran know that you were gone?"

"I said that Neville was taking me to the toilet," Teddy replied, a mischievous grin on his face. He pulled Harry's sleeve. "I want to go exploring!"

"That's probably not a good idea," came a voice from the doorway. "Even I get lost in here sometimes."

Harry looked up to see Draco leaning casually against the doorframe, a glass of champagne in his hand. Teddy gawped up at the man, a look of terror on his face. Malfoy blinked in surprise as the youngster's mop of hair suddenly turned platinum blond but otherwise showed no sign that anything was out of the ordinary.

"Uncle Harry," he hissed, side-stepping behind his Godfather so that he was hidden from view.

"It's okay, you're not in trouble," Harry said, reaching behind him and patting the boy's shoulder reassuringly. "He didn't touch anything," he said to Malfoy and the blond nodded.

"That's okay, it was my father's collection anyway," he replied. "I doubt he'll be coming back to collect it any time soon."

"This is your house?" Harry asked, surprised. "I thought..."

"We usually reside in the manor in Wiltshire but it's not nearly big enough to host an event of this size," he explained. "This is our estate in the north of Scotland. The weather is pretty unreliable up here but the surrounding countryside more than makes up for it."

"I noticed," Harry agreed and Draco shook his head.

"No you didn't," he said shortly. "Not properly. The difference between here and the English countryside is amazing. It's so rugged and angry looking. All the plants, the grass, everything here is rougher and wilder. There's heather and thistles growing everywhere and you can just walk and walk and never see a single person."

"A bit like London then," Harry joked, causing a smirk to appear on the other man's face.

"I'd give anything to live up here," he mused, taking a sip of champagne.

"Why can't you?" the brunette enquired, cocking his head.

"Because my mother needs me," Draco replied, not looking up.

There was an awkward pause. Draco took another swig before he spoke again.

"Did you know it never gets properly dark in Scotland? It's something to do with being so close to the North Pole," he said absently, his eyes still focusing on the floor.

Harry looked at him, unsure of what to say next. "Well, I appreciate the trivia, Malfoy, but I'd better be getting Teddy back to his Gran," he placed a hand on the small boy's back and began to lead him from the room. He stopped at the door, expecting Malfoy to step out of the way and allow them to pass him but the Slytherin showed no sign of moving.

"Darkness is a powerful thing, Potter," he said, his eyes fixed on Harry's. For a split second, the Gryffindor felt an irresistible pull towards the other man. He felt as though he could melt under that intense, silver gaze and it took all his strength to snap himself out of it. Shaking his head, he looked uneasily up at the blond and stepped around him, Teddy following him closely.

"Don't underestimate the power it has over your thoughts. Things that you never thought possible can suddenly seem incredibly inviting under cover of darkness."

Harry walked away from Malfoy then and didn't look back but he couldn't deny that his words were having a profound effect. It seemed that the harder he tried to rid his head of Malfoy's drawling voice, the more the darkness pressed in all around him and he felt himself slipping away. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that seemed to have formed a tight knot in the pit of his stomach and, handing Teddy over to Andromeda, he made his way over to Ginny, hoping against hope that she could make everything okay again. She looked surprised as he pulled her into a tight embrace but quickly relaxed into it.

"I love you," he whispered, pulling her closer. "Let's get out of here."

Making their excuses, they quickly left the party and ran out into the garden, their cloaks forgotten. Kissing her urgently, Harry wrapped his arms around his wife and together they disappeared, neither one of them noticing the silhouette of Draco Malfoy watching them from the entrance hall, his eyes narrowed shrewdly.

-x-

A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews so far guys, you're a great audience! I thank you for your continued patience while I develop Harry and Draco's relationship - it's getting there, I promise! As I said at the beginning, I'm in Playa De Las Americas until the 19th June so my next update won't be until at least the 20th. Chocolate Harry and Dracos to all who review! x


	4. Friends?

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Warnings: **__ Sex between two guys in this chapter – don't like it? Don't read it._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_A/N: Right, this is getting ridiculous. Every day I get a few emails telling me that I've been added to someone's favourites but hardly anyone reviews! I love writing and don't do it for the validation but it would be really nice to hear some feedback once in a while. Please just have the courtesy to let me know whether you liked it or hated it – I'll try to do the same for you x_

Chapter Four: Friends?

Harry lay on his back, staring into the darkness. He could feel Ginny's warm weight beside him in their bed and he sighed. They had Apparated straight home from the party that night and made their way upstairs, leaving a trail of clothes in their wake. It had been months since they had last slept together and he barely took the time to notice that she was there. There had been no romance, no intimacy; it was over within minutes and left him feeling sickened and hollow. He told himself that the feeling was guilt for using his wife to rid himself of his own frustration with no consideration for her needs but, honestly, he had no idea what he was feeling or why. He rolled over on to his side and pulled Ginny closer to him, her long hair tickling his face. He buried his face in it and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent of her shampoo. It was flowery and made him think of summers at the Burrow when they were still at school. He had so many happy memories with her, it was hard to believe that, five short years later, he was happiest around her when she was asleep. He didn't want to admit that he wasn't happy but the longer he laid there, the more these thoughts crept into his mind and stirred up things that he would rather not consider. He untangled himself from his sleeping wife and slipped silently from the room, trying his best not to make any noise as he tiptoed through to the bathroom. Opening the cabinet above the sink, he rifled through the bottles until he found what he was looking for: a small phial marked _Dreamless Sleep._ Pulling the stopper out, he tipped his head back and drained the bottle in one gulp. He placed the empty phial back in the cupboard and hurried back to bed, feeling his limbs becoming heavier with every step. His eyelids drooped and he climbed gratefully into the large, fluffy bed, consciousness slipping away instantly as his head touched the pillow.

-x-

_Tap tap tap_

Harry groaned and pulled a pillow over his head in an attempt to block out the noise.

_Tap tap tap_

"Ginny, the _Prophet's_ here!" he shouted, his voice muffled. "You need to pay the owl!"

_Tap tap tap_

"Ginny!"

Silence. Pulling himself into a sitting position, he squinted against the bright sunlight that was pouring in through the gap in the curtains. He put his glasses on and noticed that there was a scrap of parchment on his bedside cabinet baring Ginny's handwriting:

_Harry,_

_Got a Floo call from Alicia this morning asking if I would go with her to see a few venues for the wedding as her mum can't make it. You were asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I should be home for dinner._

_Love, Ginny x_

Harry sighed and pulled the covers back. He walked over to the window and, pulling open the curtains, was greeted by a large eagle owl. He hastily opened the window and the bird swooped down and landed on the bed, holding its leg out patiently. Harry looked down and was surprised to see, not the Daily Prophet as he had expected, but a scroll of parchment baring an official-looking seal. He hesitated and the bird threw him a reproachful look, ruffling its feathers. He untied the letter and the owl instantly flew back out the open window, leaving Harry staring down at the parchment as though it might burst into flames at any given moment. Taking a deep breath, he opened it to see small, neat handwriting that he didn't recognise:

_Potter,_

_It may have escaped your attention but you left your cloak at the party last weekend. I'm assuming you're either too embarrassed to ask for it or too dim to notice that it was gone. My address can be found on the reverse of this letter._

_Regards,_

_Draco Malfoy_

Harry turned the letter over to see an address that he knew of, in an upmarket area of London. He snorted; trust Malfoy to have a trendy flat in one of the most expensive areas of the city. Two weeks ago he had been keen to become friends with his old enemy but now he wasn't sure how he felt. There had been something odd about the way Malfoy was acting that night and, to be perfectly honest, it had creeped him out. Unfortunately, Ginny had been on at him to get their cloaks back all week so ignoring the invitation was out of the question. He would never hear the end of it. Sighing, he pulled off his boxer shorts and shuffled through to the bathroom, gearing himself up to start his day.

An hour later, he was hovering outside Malfoy's flat, his finger poised over the buzzer. He still felt awkward about seeing the other man but he didn't know how much longer he could stand here without attracting attention. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the button marked _Malfoy_.

"Who is it?" came a voice.

"Er, it's Harry," he replied, scuffing his shoe against the pavement.

"Just come up!"

There was a loud buzzing noise and the lock clicked. Pushing the door open, he looked around the spotless lobby in wonderment. He didn't want to hazard a guess as to how much Draco had paid for this place. He climbed the stairs slowly and found the door to 8E lying slightly ajar. Opening it hesitantly, he knocked and was greeted by a smiling Draco.

"Harry, you're here early!" he said brightly, ushering him into the living room. "Tea? Coffee?" he asked, indicating that he should take a seat.

"Erm… tea please," Harry replied, thrown by the blonde's cheerful mood. Draco nodded and left the room, returning a few minutes later with a fully laden tea tray. He busied himself with the two cups and handed one to Harry before sitting back in his seat and taking a drink.

"So, how are things?" the blond asked, smiling politely

"Not bad," Harry answered, feeling uneasy. The conversation carried on in the same vein for some time and it appeared that the subject of the previous weekend was not going to be broached. Setting his cup on the table, Harry looked up and tried his best to appear casual.

"So, last weekend…"

"I was drunk last weekend, I think I hit the free champagne a little too hard before dinner," Draco explained, bringing a hand up to stop Harry talking. "I think I was being a little odd because mother and I had had an argument before I left. I am sorry if I said or did anything to make you feel uncomfortable."

Harry blinked in surprise; he'd never heard Malfoy apologise before and the words sounded strange and foreign.

"Oh. That's… that's okay, Malfoy," he stammered, not sure of where to look.

"Draco," the Slytherin corrected, taking a sip of tea.

"Pardon?" Harry looked puzzled

"My name is Draco. That's what my friends call me."

"Are we friends?" The words were out before he had had time to think.

"Ouch," Draco laughed. "I suppose I thought so."

Harry looked at his knees. It seemed that he had built up a huge drama in his head for no reason and, as Malfoy had apologised for his strange behaviour, he saw no reason that they couldn't be friends. He knew that his other friends might not be as forgiving but that didn't mean that he had to live his life to please them. He smiled and extended his hand. "Friends."

Draco nodded and took the proffered hand, giving it a firm shake. "Friends," he agreed.

"So…" began Harry, getting to his feet, "I should probably go."

Malfoy jumped up. "Wait, I have tickets to the England versus France game this afternoon. I mean, if you're interested… you don't have to…"

"What?" Harry's face dropped. "How the hell did you get tickets? Ron and I tried for weeks but they were always sold out!"

The blond shook his head, laughing at the indignant look on the Gryffindor's face. "It's a secret," he replied with a wink. "I get tickets to all the big games."

"Lucky sod," the brunette huffed, and Draco laughed again, checking his watch.

"It's eleven-thirty just now and the match doesn't start until one. We could always grab something to eat before heading to the stadium; there's a place around the corner that does a fantastic fry-up."

"Erm, sure," Harry nodded. "Lead the way!"

-x-

"Did you see that?!" Harry yelled, jumping to his feet angrily and joining the sea of red and white clad England supporters as they booed the French Chaser.

Draco watched the brunette's reactions closely and smirked to himself. Harry was the polar opposite of Draco: while the blond kept his face unreadable at all times, the Gryffindor was like an open book. He always had been. That was probably why Draco had found it so easy to taunt him when they were at school; Harry made it so obvious when he'd touched a nerve. Suddenly the crowd roared as one of the England Chasers made it past the French Keeper and scored, making the score 30 -20. Draco lost his footing as the woman beside him jumped up and down, and he found himself pressed against Harry. His face flushed, he quickly righted himself, smoothing down the front of his shirt and mumbling an apology that was lost in the noise of the crowd.

In the next action-packed twenty minutes, which included two penalties and a rather savage nose-break, the score shot up to 70 – 40 with France in the lead and the crowd were becoming despondent. As the Quaffle went soaring through the hoop again, Draco heard the people around him gasp and saw the two Seekers streaking across the pitch, no more than three feet behind the golden snitch. They inched forward, neck in neck, both desperately willing their brooms to carry them faster and suddenly, the England Seeker put on a extra burst of speed, his hand outstretched, and closed his fingers around the tiny ball. The stadium erupted and the sound of the commentator's voice was drowned out by the din of the England supporters stamping their feet and screaming.

"We won!" Harry shouted hoarsely, a huge grin on his face. Draco felt another swooping sensation in his stomach as he took in the other man's flushed face and bright green eyes, shining with excitement. Fighting the overwhelming urge to kiss him, the blond broke his gaze and feigned interest in the English team mascots, which were now halfway through a victory lap around the pitch.

Perfect. Just fucking perfect. He had a crush on Harry Potter. He didn't know how, or why, or when this had started but it had and now he had to pretend that nothing was different. Pretend that he didn't want to kiss his new friend. His new, straight, married friend who didn't know that he was gay and who had hated him for half his life. Fantastic.

-x-

"Wow."

"I know."

"But… wow."

"Yeah, I know."

"Wow. This is huge."

"Yep."

"Wow."

"For fuck's sake, Pansy, stop saying 'wow' and tell me what I'm supposed to do with this realisation!" Draco snapped, slamming his glass on the table.

"Nothing," Pansy replied, lighting a cigarette. "Don't do anything. Don't say anything. Just put him in your spank bank and get on with your life."

"'Nothing'? That's your advice? 'Nothing'?" Draco looked at her incredulously and she nodded, blowing smoke in his face. Coughing, he wafted the smoke away and glared.

"I'm serious, Draco, people could get hurt and it'll most likely be you. Potter is as straight as they come and he's married to the she-weasel. It's never going to happen."

"But he's not happy with her," he protested, and Pansy raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"It doesn't matter. Just because he's not happy with his wife, it doesn't mean that he would be up for shagging a bloke!"

"So I just do nothing?" Draco looked at his best friend, feeling deflated and she placed her hand on his.

"I know it's shit but no good could possibly come of it. The most you could hope for is to be his friend but, to be honest, I'm not sure that that's the best thing for you. It would probably just make you feel worse."

Draco sighed and finished his drink in one gulp. It had been a very long time since he had had crush on anyone and he wasn't quite sure how to act – his love life mostly consisted of one night stands and drunken fumbles in pub toilets. Cocktails with Pansy had seemed like a good idea at the time but now he was feeling like crap. Slightly drunk and feeling rejected, Draco wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and not resurface for a week. Scanning the room, his gaze was met by that of a tall, slender boy with longish dark hair and big brown eyes. The stranger smiled and raised an eyebrow, bringing his glass to his lips but never looking away. Pansy tutted and shook her head.

"It won't help, Draco," she said, stubbing out her cigarette. He ignored her, getting to his feet and dropping a handful of notes on the table. "See you," he said, making his way over to the man.

"Draco!" she called after him, but he didn't look back.

He was inches from his target when he leaned in and quietly introduced himself. Forgoing all niceties, he went straight for the kill. "Do you want to come back to mine?"

He shook his platinum hair out of his eyes and smirked as the young man licked his lips, looking nervous but excited. His silver eyes glinted and he lowered his long lashes seductively, almost daring him to refuse. The boy didn't stand a chance.

Ten minutes later, Draco was unbuttoning his shirt and pulling the other man's belt off. Kissing him frantically, he fumbled with the fastenings on his trousers before shimmying them off his hips and stepping out of them.

"I'm glad you decided to come back with me, Paul," the blond panted, pulling the brunette's t-shirt over his head and throwing it on the floor.

"It's Pete, actually," he corrected him, allowing himself to be pushed backwards onto the bed.

"Right, sorry," Draco replied, straddling his hips and bending down to kiss his neck, nipping at the sensitive skin there. He closed his eyes and he saw Harry writhing around beneath him, his beautiful green eyes clouded with lust. Draco groaned and ripped his boxers off, throwing them on the floor beside his other clothes. Using the hand cream on his nightstand as a lubricant, he positioned himself above Pete and thrust forward roughly. He knew that he should have taken the time to prepare him and this would probably be painful but, at that moment, he had only one thought and he knew that this would not take long. He squeezed his eyes shut and pictured Harry, naked and covered in sweat, the image alone almost tipping him over the edge. Paying no attention to the pained whimpers from beneath him, he grabbed the boy's hips and forced them upwards, digging his nails into his soft skin as he felt his muscles contract. His face pressed into the crook of the younger man's neck, he bit down hard to prevent Harry's name falling from his lips.

Taking a few moments to recover, he finally rolled off of the brunette and slid out of bed, opening the bedroom door.

"Listen, I've got a really early start at the hospital tomorrow so you can't really stay the night."

"Oh. Okay, that's cool," Pete nodded, sitting up gingerly.

"Yeah. I'm going for a shower now," Draco took a step back, "you should go."

"Or I could join you," he raised an eyebrow suggestively, "you look like you could use the company."

"No thanks," the blond said shortly, starting to get annoyed.

"Oh, okay. Can I call you?"

Draco sighed. He didn't keep in touch with any of his conquests and tonight was no different. "I don't think so. Tonight was fun, but I'm not looking for anything just now."

Looking hurt and confused, Pete began picking up his clothes and hurriedly redressed. Without a backwards glance, he almost ran from the apartment and slammed the front door behind him. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Draco bent down over his pile of closed and pulled the scrap of paper bearing a phone number that the young boy had given him out of his jeans. He slipped it into the top drawer of his sideboard before making his way to the bathroom to scrub any trace of that night's activities from his skin. It turned out that Pansy was right: it hadn't helped in the slightest.

-x-

A/N: Bad Draco! He's such a silly billy. So what did you guys think? Please please please review! x


	5. A Sound Investment

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Warnings: **__manipulative!Draco, confused!Harry, understanding!Hermione_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N:**__ I had some good news today: I've been offered a place at college for this August. Just to clarify for any Americans out there – not college as in university. I think you guys call it community college? Anyway, I'll be off to study Higher (A Level) business management, Higher psychology and Advanced Higher French. Hopefully with a few more basic qualifications under my belt I can go off to university next year to study Languages and Inter-Cultural Communication. Sadly this means less time for writing so I shall try my best to get this story finished and posted asap! xox_

Chapter Five: A Sound Investment

Almost a month had passed since he had agreed to a friendship with Draco and Harry was surprised at how well they were getting along. They had been to three more Quidditch games together and they had been to Draco's favourite pub for a drink almost every other night this week. It felt nice to have a friend who was just his, not his and Ginny's. He could talk about anything without the judgement or lectures that his other friends liked to give him when he complained. One thing that he had noticed, however, was how Draco avoided all talk of his personal life. He was happy to discuss his work and his potions but their conversations never ventured any further. Tonight they were heading to a trendy bar that Malfoy liked and Harry was determined to make him open up a little.

"So..." he began, taking a sip of the cocktail that Malfoy had placed in front of him. "Tell me about your friends. What do you do when you're not working?"

There was a long pause. "Nothing."

"Nothing? You don't do anything?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "So when you're not working and you're not with me, you sit in your flat in and do nothing?"

"Basically, yes," Draco looked awkward

"Bullshit! What about Pansy, is she still your girlfriend?"

Draco, having tried to avoid elaborating by taking a large gulp from the electric blue drink in front of him, snorted into his glass.

"Pansy?" he sniggered. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Harry replied, looking puzzled. "I thought you two had been together since Hogwarts."

"No! No. Really, no. She's the biggest fa-" he cut himself off. He had been about to say 'fag-hag' but he still hadn't broached the subject of his sexuality and he was unsure of how Harry would take it. Harry, however, just looked even more confused.

"Okay, so you don't see anyone anymore?"

"I see Pansy all the time. Usually when I'm kicking strange men out of her flat while she's unconscious, covered in last night's make-up and reeking of stale smoke."

"Charming," Harry laughed. "She sounds like quite the, eh... character."

"She's mental," Draco agreed. "She's my best friend and I love her to bits but she's hard to keep track of."

"I can't imagine what that's like," Harry looked thoughtful. "Waking up with someone you don't even know."

Draco blanched. "You mean to tell me that you've never had a one night stand?"

Harry shook his head, frowning. "Nope. I kissed Cho Chang in fifth year and then I started dating Ginny in sixth year. We broke up for a year and then got married after the war. That's the extent of my dating experience."

"You... you've only had sex with one person?"

"Yep."

"The same person since you were... sixteen?"

"Uh-huh."

"Oh dear god, I think I need another drink."

Harry laughed and playfully swatted his arm. "It's not that bad! I know plenty of people who have only been with one person."

"Who are these people and why haven't they killed themselves yet?" Draco joked, trying to ignore the way his stomach flipped when Harry touched him.

"Ron and Hermione! And Neville and Luna," He added, nodding his head for emphasis.

"Why am I not surprised?" Draco rolled his eyes. "The biggest losers that Hogwarts has ever seen."

"Hey, those are my friends!" Harry looked slightly annoyed but didn't push the matter. "What about your friends then? Are they into sleeping around too?"

"I don't _sleep around_, Potter," Draco replied coolly. "I'm just not as prudish as you are."

"I'm not a prude! I just don't see the point in getting drunk and going home with a different woman every night!" Harry retorted, clearly stung by the Slytherin's accusation.

The two men glared balefully at each other for a few moments. Silently getting to his feet, Malfoy made his way over to the bar and ordered another round, before taking it back to the table and slamming a glass down in front of the brunette.

"I didn't come out to argue with you, Potter, and I'm not letting this ruin my night." He took his seat across from the other man. "Here, drink."

"Thanks," Harry said grudgingly, taking a sip of the cocktail and trying desperately to avoid making eye contact with the blond. He hadn't meant to sound so judgemental but he was a little defensive of the fact that he had only slept with one person. He wasn't embarrassed, and he had no idea why he felt the need to explain himself or his choices. Frowning slightly, he began picking apart a spare beer mat that had been lying on their table. A few moments passed before anyone spoke.

"That's a sign of sexual frustration, you know."

Harry looked up to see Draco smirking at him over the top of his glass. He gestured to the small pile of shredded cardboard. "Not been getting any lately?"

Harry blushed furiously. "Where did you even hear that?" he asked, discreetly vanishing the paper, his wand hidden under the table.

"I read about it in some shitty Muggle magazine that my mother had lying about in the reception room at the manor," he replied, looking smug

"Draco Malfoy, reading Muggle magazines?" Harry looked incredulous. "Next you're going to tell me that you became a Healer because you wanted to help people!"

"Of course I did! That and the six-figure salary, anyway," he added with a grin.

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Six-figure, eh? The next round's on you then!"

"I've bought every round so far!" Draco laughed

"Well, some of us paupers are still on minimum-wage and can't afford a round of drinks at swanky London nightclubs," the Gryffindor replied, fighting to keep his face straight.

"Minimum-wage?!" Draco cried incredulously. "Potter, you seriously need to re-think your career."

"It's just while I'm in training and the course finishes in September. It's five years of training but it's been worth every second."

"But on shitty wages? Nothing is ever worth being poor," Draco said, a hint of his old arrogance evident in his tone.

"I'm not poor, Malfoy," Harry had assumed that everyone had heard about his recent windfall. "My parents left me their Gringotts vault and everything in it when they died, plus I got my inheritance from Sirius on my twenty-first birthday. That, coupled with Ginny's salary, means we'll never have to worry about money."

"You're rich?" Draco looked gobsmacked. "But, your house..."

"What about my house?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowed.

"No, it's just... you could live anywhere in the world but you choose to... erm..."

"Slum it?" Harry offered, his eyebrow raised. "Sirius left me that house and I couldn't bear to part with it. And I already have a house, so why spend a couple of hundred grand on something I don't need?"

Draco considered this for a minute before nodding slowly. "I see your point. Although, I don't regret buying my loft. Or my flat in Scotland. Or my property in France."

Harry gaped at him. "How much debt are you in?"

"Not as much as one might think. Plus, it's a good investment," the blond shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. Harry laughed.

"So, what makes a good investment?"

Draco studied him for a moment before answering. "I have to get at least double what I put in."

"Double? Isn't that asking quite a lot?" the brunette remarked, looking surprised.

"Maybe," he replied casually, "But I always get what I want."

"Always?" Harry cocked his head, an amused look on his face. Draco's eyes glinted.

"Always."

-x-

Draco made his way through the hospital's labyrinth of white corridors, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Long day, Draco?"

"Just glad to be getting home, Tracy," he called over his shoulder to the mediwitches area and the dark-haired woman laughed.

"You might look a bit happier about it if you had someone to go home to," she said knowingly, grinning as he turned to glare at her. She raised her hands in surrender. "I'm just saying."

"Well, don't _just say_. I lead a very fulfilling life, I'll have you know," he replied haughtily.

Tracy sniggered. "Goodnight, Draco."

The blond opened his mouth to retort but the group of women behind the desk began to laugh at his infuriated expression. Huffing loudly, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the building, the shrill sound of mocking laughter ringing in his ears. He knew in his heart that Tracy and the other women were just teasing him but it only served as a reminder that he didn't have anyone to go home to, let alone the one person that he desperately wanted. As the weeks had passed, he had found himself falling for Harry and he couldn't even describe how angry he was at himself for allowing it. Under normal circumstances, his heart was the most heavily guarded of all his possessions and he was very wary about who he gave it to. His icy facade allowed him to get what he wanted without getting hurt and that suited him perfectly. He was happy to have strings of meaningless flings and more than willing to use people to get what he needed but this was different. This actually meant something. It had been so long since he had had a crush on anyone that he wasn't entirely sure how to deal with his newly discovered feelings. His stomach swooped every time his former rival met his gaze and electricity crackled when their hands brushed together. But then, of course, it didn't really. It was all a lie. Something that Draco had created in his head. It felt amazing but it wasn't real and it never would be. When Draco looked at Harry he saw a future, happiness, passion. He saw everything that he had ever dreamed of in the depths of those emerald eyes and it took every ounce of self-control not to kiss the Gryffindor every time he saw that beautiful smile. When Harry looked at Draco he saw a friend, and nothing more. Draco blinked back tears for what felt like the thousandth time and, taking a deep breath, he broke into a run.

Breathing heavily, he slowed down as he approached his front door. He fumbled with his keys in the lock and hurriedly made his way upstairs to his flat and let himself in, flicking on the lights as he crossed the threshold. Not stopping to change out of his work robes, he opened the top drawer of his sideboard and pulled out a scrap of paper. He took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself for the worst. He expected to be berated and yelled at for at least twenty minutes as punishment for his previous behaviour before the boy agreed to see him again but, nevertheless, he punched the number into his phone and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is that Pete?"

"Yeah... who's this?"

"It's Draco, from the bar?" there was a pause. "We... erm -"

"I remember. What do you want?"

"Okay, well... I just wondered if you were busy tonight. If not, you could always come over and we could -"

"Fuck? Draco, I'm not stupid, and I'm not going to let you use me again. Goodnight."

"Wait, don't hang up!"

"Why not? I can recognise a booty call when I see one... or hear one... whatever."

Draco was reluctant to beg someone to sleep with him but right now, he was desperate.

"How old are you, Pete?"

He heard the boy sigh. "Nineteen, why?"

"Do you have school in the morning? University?"

"No."

"And will your parents let you stay out late?"

"I live in student accommodation, jackass. I told you that when we were walking to your flat."

_Shit_, thought Draco. _Time to bring out the big guns_.

"Listen, I feel really awful about the way that I treated you that night. I was an arsehole."

"Yeah, you were."

"I'd had a really bad day and I took it out on you, which I shouldn't have done. I'm sorry."

Silence. "I'd really like to take you out for a drink to make up for it. No funny business, just two people having drinks," he lied smoothly, trying to stop his mouth curling into a grin as he heard a sigh at the other end of the line, signalling the fact that he had broken Pete's resolve. He looked at his watch. Three minutes – not bad. If the boy could be convinced to have a drink that easily, surely it wouldn't take much more to persuade him into bed. Smirking, Draco signed off and made his way to the bathroom. He loved a challenge.

-x-

Harry sat on the couch, watching a rerun of Scrubs. Although he and Ginny used magic throughout their daily lives he still found that there were a few Muggle inventions that he couldn't live without, a television being one of them. He could hear Ginny rustling about in the kitchen, preparing her meals for the next day, as Quidditch training had started in earnest and she barely had time to eat anything, let alone go to the sandwich shop for lunch. Harry had been carrying around a sense of guilt for the past couple of weeks as the realisation sunk in that he didn't really miss his wife when she wasn't around. He saw her at breakfast and a couple of nights a week she would be home for dinner but ninety percent of the time she was training, taking care of business for the team or helping Alicia prepare for the wedding, which would take place in less than six weeks. She and George would be married on the first day of spring and Harry couldn't think of two people who deserved happiness more. The date was picked, not only because it sounded romantic, but because the first of April was Fred and George's birthday and, even though five years had passed since Fred had died, George still found it terribly difficult to celebrate. Nobody had brought it up but there was a silent understanding among the family that the wedding would give George something to be happy about around this time of year.

Harry and Draco had discussed the wedding but the conversation had ended rather awkwardly when Draco had realised that he would not be invited, as Harry's family still hated him and had no idea about their friendship. He felt a twinge of guilt when he pictured the crestfallen look on the blond's face and his stammering apology for being so presumptuous. Grabbing the phone out of its cradle, he made his way up to his bedroom and quickly dialled Ron and Hermione's number, praying that the latter was the one to answer. He was lucky.

"Hello?"

"'Mione, can you talk?"

"Of course, Danny's at my parents' house for the night and Ron's out with Seamus and Neville."

"Even better. Can I come over?"

"Sure, what's wrong?"

"I'll tell you when I get there. Is your floo open?"

"It is now. I'll see you in a minute."

Harry hung up and took the stairs two at a time, dumping the phone back on the table.

"I'm going over to Ron and Hermione's, okay? I'll be back later," he called, grabbing a handful of sparkling powder from the dish by the hearth.

"Okay, can you ask her to owl over her recipe for that casserole we had last weekend?" came the reply from the kitchen, and he rolled his eyes. Yes, that was his priority right now: casserole.

"Of course, love. I'll see you later," he pointed his wand at the empty grate and cast a quick _Incendio_. Throwing the dust into the fire, he squeezed his eyes shut and stepped forward, vanishing in a _woosh_ of green flames. When he stopped spinning, he opened his eyes and dusted himself off onto the rug. Vanishing the dust and ash with his wand, he looked up to see his best friend beaming at him with a cup of tea in her hand. Taking the cup gratefully, he took a seat on the sofa as she settled herself beside him, tucking her feet under her and sipping her tea.

"So, what's so desperate that you had to come over at nine o'clock at night?"

"Oh God, is that the time?" Harry looked around at the clock. "I didn't even realise, I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it. To be honest, I welcome the distraction. I complain that I never get a moment's peace around here but I hate it when I'm alone. The silence is deafening," she surveyed him over her mug. "So, succinctness never was your strong point. _'Procrastination can wait'_ seems to be your motto."

He laughed, gazing at his friend fondly. She knew him too well and there was no way that he was getting out of this one.

"Okay, I have a few things going on and I need to say some stuff out loud to... I don't know... get it off my chest or something," he said slowly and Hermione nodded.

"Okay. Shoot."

He took a deep breath. "I don't think I love Ginny anymore," he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the shattering of china on the hardwood floor or, at the very least, an audible gasp. Instead, he looked up to see Hermione sighing, a sympathetic look on her face.

"Oh, Harry."

"You're not angry? Or surprised?"

"I was worried that this would happen. You were sort of, well... forced into the wedding, for want of a better word, and at the time I wondered if it was what you wanted. But then you always seemed so comfortable together that I assumed that things were fine and..." she trailed off, looking helpless.

"They were. Fine, I mean. There was no real passion, no fireworks but things were... _fine_. I just thought that that was what happened when you got married, that things settled into a comfortable routine," Hermione sat in silence, waiting for him to continue at his own pace. For once in her overly-articulate life, she seemed to sense that Harry did not want to be pushed and, for that, he was incredibly grateful. "Since her training regime started a couple of weeks ago, I've seen her for about two or three hours a day and that doesn't bother me. At first, I assumed that it was just the mark of a solid relationship, that we could be apart and not fall apart but I've realised that I've liked not having her around. My favourite time with her is when she's asleep because then she's not nagging me. I'm sick and tired of her yelling and arguing and constantly picking at me. I just... I don't love her and I don't know if I ever did. Not in the way that I should, and not in the way that she loves me."

Hermione nodded sadly, her drink forgotten on the table. Harry cast a Warming Charm on her cup and handed it to her, but she shook her head and he set it back down.

"I don't know what I can say that could possible make this any better."

"There's nothing_ to_ say, really. Just you being here, listening, helps more than you'll ever know."

"Well, I'm always here for you, you know that," she replied, placing her hand on his. She sighed again. "So when did you realise all of this?" He hesitated.

"See, that's the other thing that I wanted to tell you," when she didn't respond, Harry took that as a sign to continue. "I made a new friend. Or, rather, an old friend."

"What do you mean?" Hermione tucked a strand of bushy hair behind her ear, looking puzzled.

"I... erm... I've been hanging out with Malfoy," he paused to allow her time to absorb this snippet of information.

"Malfoy? As in Draco Malfoy, the blond, ferret-y wanker that we went to school with?"

"Yes, but he's not a wanker anymore!" he replied hurriedly

"Harry, people like that don't just change! He was awful to us in school, you especially!" she looked at him pleadingly, as though she could change his mind with willpower alone.

"Yes, I know that but he really has changed. He's a Healer at St. Mungos now and he treated me after that potions accident at work," he explained. "We started talking and we just sort of became friends. We go out to bars and clubs and it's great; I finally have a friend that's just mine. I can talk to him without worrying about being judged and we can have a laugh."

"Jeez, Harry, you sound like you want to date him," Hermione teased, and he frowned at her.

"It's not like that, 'Mione. He's straight," there was a very pregnant pause, in which they both realised the implications of what he had just said. Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Harry beat her to it. "I'm straight! We both are. We're just friends. I'm married, and I don't like blokes, and neither does he and we are just friends, okay? God, Hermione, let it go."

He stood up abruptly and knocked his half-full cup to the ground. He quickly stepped over the shards of china and cringed as the brown liquid seeped into his friends' white rug. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and was just about to throw it into the flames when he felt a hand on his bicep and he froze.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked. There wasn't a syllable in that question that held any amount of malice or judgement or any of the things that Harry had been scared of when he made his way over here tonight and the unconditional acceptance that his best friend had shown him throughout the years overwhelmed him. Turning to face her, he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug and the green dust that he held fell to the floor to join the broken mug. No matter what he had done over the past ten years, Hermione had always been the one person that he could count on. She had followed him all over the country when she should have been at school on a terrifying, harrowing search for pieces of Voldemort's soul; she had fought Death Eaters and Dementors and giants alongside him; she had been Petrified by a Basilisk on her way to tell him how Tom Riddle could be defeated; she had believed him at once when he said that he had not put his name in the Goblet of Fire and, not only that, but she had stayed up all night helping him study spells for the Triwizard Tournament and not once had she ever complained. He sobbed openly onto her shoulder and if she felt awkward, she did an excellent job of hiding it as she rubbed his back soothingly, guiding him over to the sofa and Summoning a box of tissues. She waited until he had stopped sniffling before handing him a hankie.

"Thank you," he said thickly, taking the proffered tissue and blowing his nose loudly.

"No problem," she replied softly. "Now, Harry James Potter, you are going to tell me the truth about what's going on."

"There's nothing going on, I swear. I'm with Ginny," he said, wiping his face with another tissue

"Okay, and that would be an acceptable answer if you hadn't just told me that you're no longer in love with her," she said, arching an eyebrow

"I told you, we're just friends. I've never fancied a guy in my life," he insisted. There was a long pause.

"So there is absolutely no way at all, whatsoever that you could possibly have feelings for Malfoy?" she looked at him seriously. "It wouldn't be the end of the world, you know."

"It would be the end of _my _world!" he cried. "Ginny would leave me, Ron would hate me, the Weasleys wouldn't be my family anymore and you wouldn't be able to speak to me because you'd be caught in the middle and be forced to choose!"

"First of all, the Weasleys will always be your family no matter what. Secondly, no-one could ever make me choose, okay? And thirdly," she paused. "I didn't hear a denial anywhere in that little speech."

Harry looked down at his hands. She was right, he had simply explained away all of the reasons that he _shouldn't_ like Draco, he hadn't actually come out and said that he _didn't_. What the hell did that mean? Did he like him? Was that why he had never felt real passion with Ginny? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He had only been with two girls in his life – the first he hadn't particularly enjoyed kissing or been very upset about when the relationship ended, and the second felt like his best friend. He could never share in Ron's or Seamus' enthusiasm when they badgered him into going to strip clubs with them or when pretty girls talked to them in bars, and even his own wife had never invoked the same excitement that he felt when those quicksilver eyes met his. Finally, he felt the penny drop and he could tell by the look on Hermione's face that she knew what he was thinking.

"I..." he faltered, and he could feel tears prick his eyes.

"I know, it's okay," she said, pulling him into another hug. "You don't have to say anything."

For the second time that night, Harry broke down and sobbed on Hermione's shoulder. After everything that they had been through together, there finally seemed to be some sort of silent understanding between them. No words were spoken for the rest of the night; they simply sat, enjoying the warmth of each other's company, and listened to the crackle of the fire.

-x-

A/N: DUN DUN DUUUUN... what happens next? Does he stay with Ginny or leave her for Draco – you decide! Well, actually, no. I decide, and that's what makes being a writer so fun – SUSPENSE! Now review, my little reader monkeys, or I'll drag this out even further... mwahahaha...


	6. Misery Loves Company

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Warnings:**__ Draco is still with Pete and seems to be happy – shock horror!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N: **__I'm glad that some people appreciated the "reader monkey" comment in my last author note – it was meant as a joke. Anyway, here we are at chapter six already, enjoy x_

Chapter Six: Misery Loves Company

Harry drifted through the next three weeks in a daze, unable to look at Ginny without feeling sick to his stomach. Every time she spoke to him he was terrified to reply in case his voice gave something away. He hated the rare occasions that she smiled at him, and he felt guilt coursing through him in waves when she touched his cheek or hugged him. Walking down the street or entering a crowded room at work, he felt as though he had a huge flashing sign above his head that said I MIGHT BE GAY, EVERYBODY STARE AT ME. He knew that he was simply projecting and that he should not allow his paranoia to get the better of him but he couldn't help feeling that everyone he passed in the street knew exactly what he was thinking. He had become extremely jittery and introverted over the past few weeks and he wasn't entirely sure that he liked this new, nervous version of himself.

Another person that had been affected by Harry's life-altering conversation with Hermione was Draco. Harry had been avoiding the other man ever since he realised that he might have feelings for him and he could tell that this had definitely not gone unnoticed. He was receiving daily owls at his office that were becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore and he had had to close off their floo network for fear of Draco making a floo call out of sheer desperation. He knew that it was selfish to shut his friend out but he would rather not deal with his feelings for him until he had sorted through the more important things in his life, like his marriage. This, however, was made difficult by Hermione, who would call or visit his office almost every other day to "see how he was feeling", in other words to ask him when he was going to leave Ginny or to talk about whether or not he would tell Draco about his predicament.

On the one hand, he desperately wanted the freedom that ending his marriage would bring. He was only twenty-two and trapped in a loveless relationship that he wasn't sure that he had even wanted to enter into in the first place. On the other hand, nobody had physically held a wand to his chest and forced him to marry Ginny, so maybe he should just suck it up and get on with it. He had made his bed and now he had to lie in it. With Ginny.

Except that he really didn't want to lie in bed with her, whether metaphorically or literally. He had actually taken to moving to one of the spare rooms as soon as she was asleep and leaving for work before she awoke. She wasn't acting any differently and if she had noticed his absence during the night, she hadn't said a word about it. Either she was a very good actress or she genuinely slept so heavily that she didn't notice that he wasn't there. Or maybe she _had_ noticed and she just didn't care anymore. Whichever it was, it didn't make Harry feel any better about his recent realisation. He still had feelings for her but they seemed so distant and so unrelated to their current situation that it felt ridiculous to still be with her. Now that he had taken a step back and admitted that he was not in love with her, he was able to see how dysfunctional their relationship was. They saw each other for a few hours in the evening but hardly a word was spoken and there was little to no contact between them. They sat at opposite ends of the couch watching television, or Ginny would go out with friends, or to see her family at the Burrow. Harry spent the evenings on the phone with Hermione or watching reruns of Fawlty Towers or The Good Life with whatever junk food he could find stashed at the back of the cupboards. Right now for instance, he was lying in the dark with his knees on the arm of the couch, his feet dangling over the edge, with a family-size bar of Galaxy chocolate balanced on his stomach, watching Friends. It wasn't until the adverts interrupted the main feature that he blinked a few times and noticed how ridiculous he looked in his current position. Ginny was out with Luna and few other girls from her year at Hogwarts that Harry didn't know. She had informed him that it was Stephanie's Hen Weekend, apparently, and they would be spending Friday to Monday at a spa resort in the south of England. This suited Harry fine, as he would be able to slob around the house in front of the television without her glaring or tutting at him from the other side of the room.

The ringing of the telephone brought him out of his reverie and he leaned over to snatch the handset out of the cradle.

"Hello?"

"Good, you're alive," came the drawling reply

"Excuse me?"

"I hadn't heard from you for three weeks, I thought you'd died."

"Well, you shouldn't be calling here! What if Ginny had picked up? How did you even get this number?" Harry snapped

"It was on your medical records," he said simply. "So, is there a reason that you've suddenly stopped replying to my owls, or am I just supposed to guess?"

"Are you stalking me now?" Harry could feel his resolve weakening with every word the blond said. "I have to go, I'm busy."

"Doing what? Answer quickly!"

"I'm… it's… it's coursework for the Ministry!" he invented wildly, looking around the room until his gaze fell upon a pile of unfinished paperwork. He heard Draco snort with laughter.

"Bullshit, Potter. What are you really doing?"

Harry blushed and set the giant bar of chocolate on the floor at his feet. "Watching television," he admitted after a moment of silence. "But I really do have a mountain of paperwork!"

"And I'm sure it's currently making a very fetching centerpiece for your dining room table. I'm assuming your wife isn't at home, given the fact that you're talking to me on the phone," It wasn't a question so Harry didn't answer. "Do you fancy a few?"

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew exactly what he fancied but he decided to keep his mouth shut. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? You've not got work in the morning and neither have I. Come to the pub with me."

Usually Harry loved how persuasive Draco could be and the confidence that every syllable held but tonight he wished that he would just go away and leave him to his misery.

"Actually, I _am_ working tomorrow. Kingsley asked me at the last minute if I would mind coming in to finish up a report," he lied, hoping that the Slytherin would take the hint and hang up soon.

"Oh," came the reply. "Okay, that's fine. I just thought I would see if you wanted to do something tonight. I miss you."

"You do?" he asked, his heart thumping against his ribs.

"Of course! I've not seen you in ages. Don't you miss your friends from time to time?"

There it was, the magic word._ Friend_. They were friends. Nothing more. Harry steeled himself.

"Sure, I suppose. Listen, I should really make a start on that paperwork. I'll speak to you later, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's not like I don't have other offers," Malfoy teased. "You're not my only friend, you know."

Harry forced a laugh. "Well, don't do anything I wouldn't do. I'll speak to you later."

He hung up feeling more confused than ever. It had been easier to concentrate on how miserable he was when he didn't have to worry about the possibility of him having feelings for Malfoy but now, after speaking to the blond, there was no doubt in his mind that he was feeling something. He slumped back into the cushions and groaned in frustration. What the hell was he supposed to do? He couldn't leave Ginny but he didn't want to be with her anymore either. Pushing the standby button on the remote, he dragged himself to his feet and began making his way up to bed.

-x-

Draco awoke suddenly, taking a few moments to register that it was Saturday, he didn't have to go to work and he was in his bedroom with sunlight streaming in through the window. Blinking rapidly, he also noticed that he was not alone; Pete's messy hair was poking out the top of the duvet and his arm was thrown across the pillow, above his head. He had first stayed the night about two weeks ago, after Harry had began ignoring Draco in earnest, and now it was an almost nightly occurrence. The Slytherin was torn – he still had feelings for Harry but he had grown quite fond of Pete and was finding something new that he liked about him every day. He liked the way his shiny brown fringe fell across his face and he flicked it out of his eyes; he was delighted when the boy first brought his hair straighteners to the flat and he had had to work hard to disguise the fact that he had never seen them before in his life. He thought it was cute that Pete wore t-shirts two sizes too small with the names of Muggle bands that Draco didn't know and he owned underwear in lurid colours and patterns that he displayed six inches of above the waistband of his tight jeans. He had impractical canvas shoes, "cons" apparently, which looked neither sturdy nor comfortable but the young man insisted on wearing them every day, regardless of the fact that they were full of holes. His favourite thing of all was the fact that Pete played bass in a band. Draco had gone along to one of their shows and was surprised to find that Pete looked incredibly sexy, his face dripping with sweat and his hair curling slightly as he jumped around on stage with his bandmates. The fact remained, however, that Draco would drop him in a heartbeat if Harry gave him the slightest sign that he was interested, and he felt sickened with himself. Pushing his hair off his face, he slid out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. He turned on the shower and stepped under the water, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. A few moments later, he felt an arm snake around his waist and Pete placed a kiss on his shoulder.

"'Morning," he mumbled sleepily

"I was trying not to wake you," Draco said, giving him an apologetic look as he turned to face him

"It's okay, I have study group at ten this morning anyway," the brunette explained

Draco nodded. "Okay, as long as I didn't disturb you."

Pete reached behind him for the shampoo bottle. "Nope, but I'm afraid this shower is for business, not pleasure. I only have forty-five minutes to get ready and across town."

"I could do it in thirty," Draco said, looking smug before a grin spread across his face. "If we hurry up, I'll come with you. I need to go to the supermarket anyway."

"Sure, just let me under the water so I can rinse my hair…"

Ten minutes later, both men were sufficiently clean and standing in Draco's bedroom.

"Shit!"

"What's wrong?" Draco peeked out from under the towel he was using to dry his hair (how could Muggles find the time to do this every day?!) to see Pete rummaging through his bag.

"I've not got my hairdryer!" the brunette exclaimed. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Draco replied, amused to have found someone as vain as he was.

"I will _not_ be fine! Look at it!" he pointed at the damp curls clinging to his forehead, a panicked expression on his face.

Draco bit his lip. He had never dated anyone for this long, and he had never dated a Muggle, period. It was difficult to hide the fact that he was a wizard from him and he'd often forget to stash his wand in a drawer before Pete came round. He had considered taking a big step by showing him some magic and today seemed like the day to show him a Drying Charm. He could just _Obliviate_ him if he freaked out, right?

"Pete, remember that stick you found on my bedside cabinet?" he said slowly

"Yeah, what about it?" Pete said impatiently, checking his watch

"Well… it's not what I said it was," he explained. "It's actually a wand."

"You mean for a magic show?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Like, tricks and stuff?"

Draco felt a stab of annoyance. "No, not _tricks and stuff_. I mean it's an actual wand. I'm a wizard."

There was a moment of silence before Pete burst out laughing. "What? You're mental. I don't have times for stupid jokes, Draco, I have to get back to my flat to grab my hairdryer."

"I'm not joking, I'm a wizard!" Draco insisted, but the other boy simply laughed again. The Slytherin stared at him until his laughter had subsided. "I'm serious."

Pete stared back at him. "You think you're a wizard?" Draco nodded. "Oh, shit. You ARE mental…"

"I'm not fucking mental! Don't call me mental if you like the way your face looks," the blond threatened, gripping his wand in his pocket

"But, Draco, listen… you expect me to believe that – woah, what are you doing?" his eyes widened as Draco pointed his wand at his brown mop of hair.

"Stand still," he instructed, casting a Drying Charm on Pete's hair. "There, your hair's dry."

Slowly, Pete raised his hand to feel his now-dry curls and gasped. "Holy shit, are you actually…?"

"Of course I'm _actually_ a wizard. I've never actually spoken to someone who isn't. Except you," he amended, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

A look of dawning comprehension appeared on the other boy's face. "Your tattoo moves, doesn't it?" he said excitedly. "I thought I saw it move but I figured I was just drunk and seeing things!"

Draco instinctively touched his left forearm. "Yes, my tattoo moves."

"What else can you do?" Pete looked thoroughly delighted at the prospect of dating a wizard.

"Anything you like," he replied lazily. "You honestly don't mind that I'm a wizard?"

"No! Why would I?" he grinned. "This is so unbelievably cool! Where did you learn everything?"

The Slytherin grinned at the sight of Pete's excitement. "School. I went to a Magic school called Hogwarts."

The boy's eyes were wide as saucers. "I wish I was a wizard."

"Nah, it'll be much more fun that you're not," he shot an _Aguamenti _at him and laughed at the shocked look on Pete's face. "Now you can't fight back!"

They two wrestled for a few minutes before Pete jumped up, looking horrified.

"Shit, look at the time!"

"It's okay, I can get you to your study session on time," Draco replied, giving him a knowing look.

"I don't see how you're going to manage that," he mumbled, pulling a t-shirt on and hastily tying up his shoelaces.

"Ready?" Draco asked, as he stood up. Pete nodded. "Okay, hold on to my arm. This will feel really weird…"

With a _pop_, the room around them disappeared and a second later, they were standing behind a block of public toilets. Draco looked at the other boy, worried that he would be scared or nauseous but he was grinning from ear to ear, gazing around in disbelief.

"Holy shit, that's amazing!" he exclaimed and they walked out from behind the building and onto the main street.

"Yes, but you really can't tell anyone about this, okay?" Draco said seriously. "Really. It's against our laws and our government have a hell of a time trying to cover it up as it is."

"Cover what up?" came a voice and Draco turned to see Harry smiling at him. "What's Rita Skeeter said now?"

"Harry, what are you doing here?" Draco did his best to smile but he felt as though someone had just fed him Skele-Gro.

"I live around the corner, Draco," he replied, looking confused. "Are you okay?"

"Of course, I'm fine!" he exclaimed, sounding a little too cheery.

Harry and Pete looked awkwardly at each other until Harry rearranged the shopping bags he was carrying and offered his hand. Judging by the blank look he was currently receiving, Harry would have thought that the boy was a Muggle, but he couldn't be – he had just overheard them discussing the Ministry.

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter," he introduced himself, waiting for the recognition to come. It didn't.

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Pete," they shook hands briefly and the Harry noticed that the boy seemed to be itching to say something. He didn't have to wait long. "I'm sorry if this seems rude but… are you a…" he lowered his voice. "Are you a wizard too?"

Harry's face fell. "Draco, is he a Muggle?"

"Now, I think you're being a bit rude -"

"This isn't about being rude, Draco, this is fucking serious! Did you tell a Muggle about us?" Harry looked pleadingly at his friend.

"Yes, but -"

"No! No buts!" he said loudly. "Security has tightened ten-fold over the past year, ever since that Welsh guy started breeding dragons and one of them destroyed his neighbour's house. You realise that I'm supposed to arrest you on the spot for this?"

Draco's grey eyes widened. "You can't arrest me, Harry. You can't, I'll go to Azkaban. The Wizengamot won't even look at me again, not after what I did!"

"What did you do?" Pete asked, looking uncertainly at Draco

"Not now, Pete," Draco replied, still looking at Harry.

Harry breathed heavily, looking between the two men before him. "Why would you even do something so stupid? I've never seen you be civil to a Muggle in your entire life! It's because of your Muggle prejudices that you were nearly flung in Azkaban in the first place!"

Draco looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him. He wracked his brain, trying desperately to think of a plausible excuse that didn't involve him waking up and showering with Pete this morning but he was saved the trouble.

"We're dating," said Pete simply. "He just wanted to be honest with me about who he is."

The shopping bags that Harry was carrying slid from his grip and landed with a dull _thump_ on the pavement. The colour receded from his cheeks until he was an ashen grey and he looked as though he was about to throw up.

"You're gay?!" Harry cried, seemingly oblivious to Pete's presence, or the stares of passers-by. "Never mind _him_, Draco, how about being honest with ME about who you are?!"

The Gryffindor shoved roughly past him without a backwards glance and, in that moment, the blond felt his heart break.

-x-

**A/N:** And now here comes the spectacular breakdown in communication between our favourite two boys. Poor things, they are so dim sometimes. Anyway, please review! x


	7. Second Fiddle

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ NC-17_

_**Warnings:**____Graphic sex in this chapter. Don't like it? Don't read it!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N: **__As always, thank you so much for all of the lovely reviews! Here we are at chapter seven, my lovlies, and I hope that you like it... x_

Chapter Seven: Second Fiddle

Draco paced back and forth in front of the phone, trying to work up the nerve to pick up the handset and call Harry. After he had run away that morning, Draco hurriedly made his excuses to Pete and Disapparated behind the toilet block, appearing at the side of his own building. He had barricaded himself in his flat and refused to come out, ignoring the many texts that Pete had been sending him throughout the day. As if sensing his cue, Draco's mobile chirped and his boyfriend's name flashed across the screen.

_U nt spkn 2 me thn? xx, _Pete asked in his ridiculous text-speak.

The blonde gave a grunt of frustration and threw his phone across the room, where it landed with a muffled_ thud_ on the couch. Of course he wasn't speaking to him! He was irrationally angry at Pete and choosing to blame everything on him. Why the hell had he even told Harry that they were together anyway? They hadn't discussed taking their relationship public yet, he should have sensed that Draco didn't want his friends to know. In the back of his mind he knew that he was being childish – obviously Pete had no idea that his boyfriend was harbouring a secret longing for the Gryffindor – but he needed someone to blame to channel his anger onto and make himself feel better.

He was also furious with himself. How could he have been so stupid as to consider getting serious with Pete when he was so hung up on Harry? He had let his heart overrule his head and now he had gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble by exposing the Wizarding world to a Muggle after only a couple of weeks together. Weeks, not even months! He felt like a complete dickhead and he wished that he could take it all back. If he had never shown Pete that he was a wizard, then he wouldn't have Apparated him to the place that he did and they would never have run into Harry.

Harry. Draco took a deep breath and picked up the phone. Punching in the telephone number, he raised the handset to his ear with a shaky hand.

"Hello?" came a muffled voice.

"Harry?" Draco asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"What do you want?" his voice sounded odd, as though he had been crying.

"I just wanted to talk to you about… about earlier."

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry said flatly.

"Well, I think we need to talk about it," Draco said quietly.

"It doesn't matter, just leave it. We can just forget it ever happened."

"Are you sure?" Draco asked uncertainly.

"Positive. I'll see you later, yeah?" Harry forced himself to sound cheery.

"Um… okay. I'll -" Draco was cut off by Harry hanging up the phone abruptly. Feeling tears well in his eyes, Draco set the phone down and shuffled through to his bedroom, turning out the lights as he went.

-x-

Against his better judgement, Harry found himself outside Draco's flat, staring at the buzzer marked _Malfoy_. He had been standing on the bottom step for almost twenty minutes now and he was no closer to pressing the button. He had gone to bed after their telephone exchange but he had tossed and turned so much that it was hardly worth it. He had given a strangled yell into his pillow after another hour had passed and jumped up, slipping into his jeans. He checked his watch – 3.10am. Truth be told, he was terrified to ring the doorbell because the prospect of coming face to face with Draco made him feel sick to his stomach. He had missed his friend terribly over the past few weeks, but the persistent ache in his chest was not a feeling that he generally associated with being away from his friends. He loved Ron and Hermione like family but he had never felt like this towards them. Lately, he had been trying to convince himself that he was just confused because of the prospect of his marriage ending. He told himself that he just needed someone friendly to take his mind off things at home, and he had imagined all these feelings for his new friend as an outlet for his jumbled emotions. He had contented himself with the fact that he was married and that Draco was straight so there was really no harm in it. The quiet longing that filled every waking moment, and the unspeakable images which haunted his dreams, were no longer harmless fantasies. No, now they were far more dangerous. Harry was reluctant to see the Slytherin because he was terrified that he would be tempted to act on them. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the buzzer and waited for a response.

"Hello?" came a groggy voice a few moments later.

"Erm... hi. It's me. Harry," he added, though he had a feeling Draco would know exactly who "me" was.

"Oh... hi. Just come up."

The lock clicked and he found himself pushing open the front door and taking Draco's stairs two at a time. Pushing open the door baring the shiny lettering _8E_, he found himself looking up into the pewter-grey eyes of Draco Malfoy, the subject of all his recent, late-night fantasies. Malfoy looked amazing, even in a pair of grey cotton tracksuit bottoms and a tight-fitting black t-shirt. His hair was sticking up at the back and he was squinting slightly against the bright light of the hall. Harry felt his cheeks grow hot and he took a step back, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Draco tilted his head, a look of concern gracing his pointed features.

"Nothing," Harry replied, feeling his mouth grow dry. "Sorry to wake you."

"No, don't worry about it," Draco said softly, rubbing his eye sleepily. "It's nice to see you; I've missed you."

"Really?" Harry felt like an idiot but he didn't know what else to say.

"Yeah, really! I think about you all the time," he added, lowering his voice slightly and looking down at his feet.

Before he had time to consider the consequences of his actions, Harry had lunged forward to close the gap between them. He grabbed the blonde's arms and pulled him into a searing kiss, pushing him back against the wall. Draco froze for a second before returning the kiss in earnest, his fingers digging into Harry's hips, and both men's hands scrabbled for purchase of the other's skin, their tongues fighting for dominance. Harry's heart was beating frantically against his ribcage and all coherent thought left him as Draco slid a cool hand up his shirt, tracing indiscernible patterns on his back. His breathing was ragged and he broke the kiss in an attempt to regain his composure.

"Wow, Harry... are... are you..."

"Do you want me?" Harry asked, more boldly than he actually felt. Draco blanched.

"I've wanted you for months," he whispered.

This satisfied Harry and he pushed his lips against the blonde's once more. Draco took the hint and grabbed the waistband of the Gryffindor's jeans, pulling him towards the bedroom without breaking the kiss. He finally crossed the threshold and felt the back of his knees connect with the edge of the bed, forcing him to sit down. Feeling emboldened by Harry's actions, he lay down, pulling the brunette on top of him by the front of his t-shirt. He was met with no complaints. In fact, Harry placed a knee on either side of the taller man's hips and tugged the offending garment over his head, revealing his lithe, tanned torso. Leaning over again, he flicked his tongue across Draco's bottom lip, eliciting a moan from the other man and sending a shiver down his spine. He had never been as turned on as he was right now and he was desperate to go further with the beautiful Slytherin. Reaching between them, he slipped his index finger beneath the waistband of Draco's cottons and began to slide them down his hips, revelling in the feeling of sharp hipbones jutting out from under the skin. Ginny was slim and athletic but her hips were soft and rounded, not narrow and pointed like Draco's. Sliding a hand up the other man's torso, he felt an expanse of flat, firm chest, as opposed to the soft mounds that he was used to. He grinned against Malfoy's mouth. There was something so much more exciting about the male form. He loved its firm lines and sharp angles, so different from his wife's feminine curves and soft skin. Whenever he kissed Ginny, his sense of smell was attacked by an overpowering floral scent; Draco smelled of vanilla.

"What is it?" Draco asked, trying to suppress laugh.

"Nothing, it's just... different, I suppose," Harry grinned.

"Would you like me to take charge for a bit, to give you time to get used to it?" the older man sat up slowly and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. Gently lowering him onto the bed, he settled himself between the other's legs and lay down, careful not to crush him. He placed his lips on his neck, slowly trailing soft, wet kisses down to his collarbone, while slipping a hand between them and unbuttoning Harry's jeans. Kneeling up, he slid them down his hips and pulled them off completely, tossing them onto the floor. Harry sat up as well, tugging at Draco's t-shirt and pulling it over his head. He gasped as he caught sight of the huge silvery scar that ran diagonally across his pale chest, tracing a fingertip across it. "Is that where I...?"

"Yeah, that time in the bathroom," Draco replied, not meeting Harry's emerald gaze.

In an instant, the Gryffindor was on his knees, at eye level with him. "I'm so sorry," he said, planting kisses over every inch of the blonde that he could reach. "I had no idea what that spell would do. I'm so sorry."

He sighed as Harry began to lavish attention on his stomach, running his tongue along the trail of dusky blond hair protruding from his tracksuit bottoms. Curiously, Harry pressed his palm against the bulge in the Draco's trousers, causing him to buck his hips, a gasp of pleasure escaping his lips. More firmly this time, he did it again, moving his hand in a circular motion, thoroughly enjoying watching his usually-composed friend come undone. Pressing harder, he gently nipped at Draco's stomach with his teeth.

"Do you want to fuck me?"

"Yes," he was breathless and his grey eyes were filled with lust. He was rutting unashamedly against Harry's palm and painfully aroused.

Harry began sliding his boxers down slowly, relishing the look on Draco's face as he exposed more and more flesh. Draco scrambled out of his remaining clothes and practically threw himself on top of the younger man, summoning a tube of lubricant with his wand. Flipping open the lid, he coated his fingers and pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead.

"This is going to feel strange, okay?" he warned. "Just tell me to stop and I will."

Harry nodded his assent and Draco began slowly circling his entrance. Pushing forward, he heard Harry hiss at the intrusion but otherwise showed no sign of wanting him to stop. He gently pressed another finger in and another. After a few moments, Harry was no longer wincing, but rather moaning and thrusting back onto Draco's hand, signalling to the blonde that he was ready. Using more of the oily liquid to prepare himself, he positioned his body above Harry and began to press into him slowly. He stopped as he felt the man tense below him, slowly resuming the task as he felt the muscles relax enough to allow entry. Finally, he was fully sheathed and felt as though he would explode if Harry so much as wiggled his hips. Taking a few calming breaths, he began to pull out slowly and push back in, noticing that Harry moaned louder each time he did so. Steadily increasing the rhythm, he reached between them and wrapped a hand around Harry's cock, who whimpered and raised his hips to meet each thrust. Kissing him frantically, Draco's heart pounded as the brunette moaned loudly into his mouth, his hands gripping the sheets beneath him. One, two, three strokes later and Harry gave a prolonged moan and came over Draco's hand, coating both their stomachs with thick, pearly liquid. Draco gave a hoarse yell before as his own release took hold and bright lights burst behind his eyelids. Panting, he rolled off of the Gryffindor to avoid crushing him under his weight.

"That was..." Harry said, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes

"Amazing?" Draco offered, laughing. He kissed him briefly.

"Amazing," he agreed, grinning. "I think I can safely say that I prefer men."

Draco chuckled. "I think that's a safe assumption," he reached for his wand and cast a Cleaning Charm, before pulling Harry into his arms. The younger man pressed his face into the crook of his neck and sighed contently. "Can you stay the night?"

"Yeah, Ginny is away until Monday," came the muffled reply and Draco suddenly felt a wave of nausea pass over him. He had forgotten about Ginny. He had forgotten about Pete. In the heat of the moment, with Harry's lips against his, Draco had forgotten that anyone else in the world existed and he had allowed his hormones to take over. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! Draco had been in love with Harry for months, secretly, and in his fantasies there were gushing proclamations of eternal love and perfect, gentle love-making. Not a late-night, hormone-fuelled booty call where they cheated on their respective partners and then went about their daily lives. What happens next? Would Harry be willing to leave Ginny or would one night be all Draco ever got? He loved the proud, loyal Gryffindor, but it was those exact traits that gave him a sinking feeling that he would always play second fiddle.

-x-

_**A/N:**____So, good? Bad? Let me know! It was my first proper sex scene so be nice! x_


	8. The Wedding

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N:**__I'd like to point out that I'm aware that, according to the family tree that Jo Rowling drew up, George actually marries Angelina Johnson in later life, but I always saw her with Fred. They went to the Yule Ball together and I just think that it's a bit weird for her to get with her dead ex's twin. I always write George with Alicia Spinnet, I'm not sure why. Anyway, enjoy x_

Chapter Eight: The Wedding

Draco gazed out the window of his flat, a glass of wine in his hand. He could hear Harry rummaging through his DVD collection, trying to find something suitable for them to watch with their Chinese food. Harry had introduced Draco to the joys of Muggle takeaway and, so far over the past few weeks, they had made their way through the Chinese, Indian, Thai and Pizza menus. They had been seeing each other in secret for just over a month now, and Draco was beginning to feel uneasy. Harry showed no sign of leaving Ginny and, for this reason, he had urged the Slytherin not to end things with Pete. He said that it was unfair that Draco had to share him for the time being and so he should be free to see other people until the appropriate plans were in place that would allow Harry to end his marriage. At the beginning of their relationship, Draco had accepted that it would be incredibly difficult for Harry to end a five-year relationship - with the sister of his best friend, no less! – but he was starting to lose his patience. He did not like sharing.

"Have you thought about when you're going to tell her?" he tried to avoid using the she-weasel's name as much as possible.

"Soon," came the reply

"When is 'soon'?" Draco's voice took on a whiny edge. "You've been saying that for weeks."

"I know, but I'm just looking for the right time. I may not love her but she still loves me and this is going to really hurt her," Harry stood up and took Draco's hands in his own. "The last thing I want is for anything to come between us but you have to understand how difficult this is for me."

"I do understand, Harry, but I hate sneaking around like this. I want us to be together. Properly," Draco looked down into those brilliant green eyes and he felt his heart swell. He had never been happier than when he was with Harry.

"And we will be. Please just hold on a little longer, I promise I'll tell her as soon as I find the right moment," the brunette stood on his tip-toes and pressed a kiss to his lover's forehead.

Draco sighed but didn't push the issue. They had had this same conversation countless times recently and he knew that there was nothing that he could say to make a difference. He felt lucky to even be able to spend time with Harry and was scared to do anything that might cause him to change his mind. Taking a seat on the couch, Draco watched as Harry selected a movie and placed it in the DVD player. He stood up and slid back onto the couch beside the blonde, picking up an empty plate as he did so. He grinned as the opening titles appeared on the screen and all negative thoughts left Draco's mind. He loved that smile.

"_10 Things I Hate About You_? Seriously?" Draco arched an eyebrow at the other man, leaning forward to help himself to a prawn cracker. "You couldn't find anything else in my entire collection?"

"What? I like this movie!" Harry said defensively, heaping noodles onto his plate. "It's fun."

"That's my point. Is there nothing more mature that you'd like to watch?" Draco delicately picked at his chicken, looking revolted as the Gryffindor shovelled food into his mouth with indecent enthusiasm.

"Says the man who watches _Bridget Jones' Diary_ almost every weekend?" the younger man snorted. "I think I'll stick with my first choice, thanks."

Draco elbowed him in the ribs, laughing. "Shut up! It's the best movie ever and deserves to be watched over and over. You just don't appreciate it," Draco sniffed loftily and Harry let out a bark of laughter.

"I haven't even seen it, so there!" Harry replied, looking smug. "Clearly, I'm the man in this relationship."

Draco's jaw dropped. "Oh, that's it!" he dropped to his knees and began flicking through the DVDs in his cabinet. A few moments later, he held up a slim box in triumph, grinning from ear to ear. "Now give me that remote!" He lunged at Harry, pinning him to the sofa. The brunette quickly stashed the small device behind his back, wheezing with laughter as Draco tickled his sides in his attempt to reclaim it.

"Stop it!" he choked. "I'm not watching that bloody film!"

And they didn't. Instead, they made good use of Draco's new couch. And bed. And shower. Yep, Draco had never been happier.

-x-

Harry turned up his iPod and stepped on to the treadmill. The Ministry had recently opened a company gym and, for ten galleons a month, employees had unlimited access – outside of core hours, of course. He pressed down on the button for controlling the speed for a few seconds, watching the numbers flash as the speed increased. Six kilometres per hour – a nice, leisurely pace that would allow his thoughts to wander freely without focusing on how hard he was finding the workout. He had been in this gym, on this treadmill, almost every night for the past couple of weeks and it had not escaped his attention that Ginny had stopped asking him where he had been. Maybe she had stopped noticing that he wasn't there, the way that he had stopped caring if she was there or not. It was the night before George and Alicia's wedding and Harry didn't even know what gift Ginny had bought for them. He had seen the extravagantly gift-wrapped parcel in their bedroom with his and Ginny's names on the tag, but she hadn't said a word about it. To be perfectly honest, they had barely exchanged a word about anything over the past few days and he was finding it increasingly difficult to stay away from Draco. He had to keep reminding himself that he must wait for the best possible moment to break the news to his wife, and then he and Draco could be together. Officially. Catching sight of the clock out of the corner of his eye, he realised that George's stag party was starting in an hour. Upping the pace to eight kilometers an hour, Harry ran full-pelt for a further fifteen minutes before rushing to an Apparition Point, re-appearing outside number twelve. Showering and changing quickly, he kissed Ginny's cheek and mumbled a halfhearted goodbye. He threw a handful of glittering powder into the fire and stepped forward, instructing it to take him to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Whey-hey!"

Harry was greeted by a chorus of male voices as he stepped out of the fireplace and dusted himself off. He looked up and grinned at the sight of all of his friends, gathered around a huge table in the middle of the pub.

"Harry!"

"How's it going, mate?"

"What are you drinking?!"

He laughed as everyone began talking at once. He felt a shot being forced into his hand and George threw an arm around his shoulders, watching him closely as he drank it.

"Right, lads, that's everybody here. Let's get going!"

Everyone cheered and stood up, making their way out to the back of the pub. Lee Jordan led the way, tapping the bricks on the wall with his wand to reveal the entrance to Diagon Alley. As the men poured onto the cobbled street, Harry turned to Charlie Weasley.

"So, where are we going?"

"There's a new club opening in Knockturn Alley. We thought we'd check it out," he said

"Knockturn Alley? Won't it be a bit…" Harry trailed off and Charlie clapped him on the shoulder, grinning.

"Nah, it's nothing like that!" the redhead replied good-naturedly. "And it's just off Knockturn Alley, not beside all the creepy Dark shops. Don't worry, it'll be a laugh!"

They carried on along Diagon Alley, turning off at the end, into Knockturn Alley. George motioned for them to follow him and they slipped into a side street that was teeming with people. The groom-to-be had a quiet exchange with the bouncer and, after a brief handshake, the barrier was removed and they were free to make their way inside.

The music was pounding in Harry's ears and the vibration of the bass in his chest made him feel slightly ill. He had only been in the club for a matter of seconds when a girl sidled up to him, her skimpy outfit leaving little to the imagination.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked, circling her hips suggestively. Harry grimaced.

"I don't dance."

"Okay, can I buy you a drink then?" she made to grab his hand but he jerked it away.

"No thanks," he said shortly, making his way around her.

He had barely taken five steps when another woman, slightly older this time, placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed herself up against him.

"Not interested in the teenybopper over there? I'm not surprised," she leered at him. "You need an older woman, don't you?"

"I'm not interested," he replied, extricating himself from her grip. "I'm married."

"So am I!" she gave a tinkling laugh. "But what he doesn't know…"

Harry removed himself from her presence completely and made his way to the bar as fast as he could. He ordered a firewhiskey and leaned back against the wall, taking a long draught as he scoured the club for his friends.

"Oh my god, are you Harry Potter?!"

Harry sighed as two young girls gazed up at him, a look of amazement on their faces. He snorted; they couldn't have been older than fifteen.

"Can we have your autograph?" one girl asked, rummaging in her handbag. "Stacey, do you have a quill? I can't find mine…"

Cursing himself for agreeing to come to a club, Harry collected a second drink from the bartender and took his place at the end of the bar, desperately wishing that he could disappear. He could see Bill, George, Lee and Neville making arses of themselves at the other side of the dancefloor and he felt bad that he wasn't enjoying himself. This was George's last night as a single man and they should be celebrating, not trying to blend in with the wallpaper. He took another swig of his drink.

"Holy shit, are you _the_ Harry Potter?" came a voice from behind him, and his heart leapt. He turned to see a pair of silver eyes looking back at him, filled with amusement. Draco smirked. "Fancy seeing you here."

"What are you doing here?" Harry resisted the urge to kiss the blonde, who was looking even more gorgeous than usual in a fitted blue t-shirt and tight jeans. He tossed his platinum hair out of his eyes and smiled.

"I'm here with Pansy," he motioned to a table near the back of the club and a pretty girl with long black hair waved, wiggling her fingers at him and winking. "She fancies the bartender and insisted that we stay until closing time so that she can pick him up."

"Well, you're a sight for sore eyes, I can tell you that," Harry took a step back, looking him up and down. "You look amazing. I love your shoes."

Draco looked down at his new red Converse hi-tops sheepishly. "Um… Pete bought them for me. I didn't know that you were going to be here tonight, so… I mean… I never would have -"

Harry raised a hand to silence him. "It's okay. It was my idea for you to keep seeing Pete until I'd sorted things out with Ginny so I really have no right to get possessive."

"Okay, well, I should probably warn you that -"

"Have I mentioned how gorgeous you look tonight?" Harry lowered his voice, taking a step towards the Slytherin.

"Perhaps, but I never tire of hearing it," Draco smirked, rational thought going out the window the moment he felt Harry's warm breath on his cheek. After a quick scan to make sure that his friends were suitably occupied, Harry closed the gap between them and brought their lips together, gently at first, but steadily becoming more urgent. Harry's heart was thumping in time with the music and he had almost forgotten where he was when he felt a strong vibration against his thigh.

"Well, you're keen!" he laughed, breaking the kiss as Draco began fumbling in his pockets.

"It was my phone," the Slytherin grinned, waving said device in his face as he freed it from his jeans. He flipped it open to read the text message and Harry watched as the other man's face dropped.

_Behind u_.

Draco slowly turned around and Harry peered over his shoulder, his gaze coming to rest on a very hurt-looking young boy, about ten feet away. He was watching the scene in front of him in horror, his lower lip trembling.

"Pete," Draco whispered, looking stricken. He moved towards his boyfriend but the young boy flinched, pushing him away. Harry couldn't hear what they were saying but Pete was clearly shouting, angry tears threatening to overflow. Draco's cheeks were coloured with a faint pink tinge and he tried again to calm the brunette by placing a hand on his shoulder but Pete shrugged him off, taking a step backwards. He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice, leaning in for only a moment and then he was gone, leaving Draco standing alone in the middle of the dancefloor. Slowly, he made his way back over to Harry, his expression unreadable.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, his eyes full of concern.

"That wasn't how I wanted him to find out," Draco said, his voice barely audible over the music. "I wanted to tell him myself, face to face."

"I know," Harry replied, pulling him into a hug. "I'm sorry that things didn't work out the way that you planned."

Draco nodded against his chest. "Do you want to come back to mine?"

"I can't," he said gently. "You would only be doing it to make yourself feel better. Plus, it's the wedding tomorrow and I have to get an early night."

Draco pulled away slightly. "I wouldn't be doing it to make myself feel better!"

"Yes you would," the Gryffindor said simply, smiling at him. "Even though you and I are together, you and Pete were together first and he just broke up with you. You're allowed to be upset."

"I'm only upset because I feel bad about the way he found out about us, I wouldn't be using you to numb the pain or whatever," the blonde explained, looking into Harry's brilliant green eyes.

"Oh no?" the brunette looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"No, I love you!" Draco suddenly looked horrified and took a step back, his grey eyes wide. Harry opened his mouth to say something but Draco, looking as though he might throw up, stumbled backwards and ran from the club, leaving Harry by the bar. He saw Pansy grab her handbag and hurry towards the exit, throwing a questioning look at Harry as she passed. He opened and closed his mouth, feeling like a fish out of water, before he too took his leave.

-x-

"And do you, George Weasley, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

"Hmm, let's see now…" George arranged his face into a mock-thoughtful expression. "Yeah, why not?" He shrugged, and the guests all laughed. Even Alicia managed a watery smile. The minister chuckled.

"Ever the joker, Mister Weasley! Now, the rings," he motioned for Angelina and Ron to come forward and hand over the small gold bands that they were holding. "Please repeat after me…"

Harry watched as Alicia placed a ring on George's third finger, repeating the minister's words of love, sharing and happiness. George then took his turn, placing a much smaller band on his bride's finger, and bringing his hand up to brush away her tears. They shared a tender smile and Harry felt Ginny slide her hand into his, giving it a firm squeeze. Harry felt sick as he thought back to their own wedding. He couldn't remember being even half as happy as his brother-in-law looked at this moment. He then remembered the previous night and Draco's admission of love and he felt his heart skip a beat.

"Alicia… George… I now pronounce you husband and wife," announced the minister, a huge smile on his face. "You may kiss the bride!"

George made a show of twirling his wife around and sweeping her off of her feet before leaning in for a kiss. Everyone in the room was on their feet, clapping and cheering as the couple made their way down the steps and up the aisle. Harry noticed that Ginny was wiping away tears with a paper tissue and he felt a stab of jealousy. She hadn't cried when she had recited her vows to him. She hadn't been emotional in the slightest! She had spent almost the entire time talking to guests and giving long speeches to the press about how proud she was to finally be _Mrs. Harry Potter_. He felt nothing but resentment towards his wife as he saw how blissfully happy the bride and groom looked now, gazing into one another's eyes as they left the alter.

"And now for the reception!" called Mrs. Weasley above the chattering of the crowd. "If you'll all make your way to the marquee at the bottom of the garden…"

Slowly, the crowd filtered down towards the huge white tent that had been erected for the party. There was an enormous buffet table, groaning under the weight of all the food.

"Excellent. Do you think we're allowed to eat yet?" came a voice from behind them.

"Really, Ronald, can we please go for ten minutes without you stuffing your face?" Hermione scolded him. "Harry, Ginny, there you are! We didn't see you at the ceremony."

"We were stuck beside my cousins and my great-auntie," Ginny rolled her eyes. "Nightmare. Beautiful ceremony though, wasn't it?"

"Oh yes," Hermione cooed. "Alicia looked gorgeous! Where is she, anyway?"

Harry and Ron raised their eyebrows and exchanged a look that plainly said "_women!_" and took a seat at the nearest table. Summoning two Butterbeers, Ron handed his best friend a bottle and they popped them open. Nodding slightly to one another, they raised their drinks before taking a swig, and Harry gazed around the room as the other guests filed through the door and took a seat. They sat together in silence for ten minutes, until Molly got to her feet and announced that the buffet was open. Ron grinned and leapt to his feet, piling food onto his plate like a starving man, while Hermione plopped herself down in Ron's vacant seat. She looked at him expectantly until he couldn't ignore her any longer.

"What?"

"Don't give me that, Harry James Potter. You know perfectly well what," she replied, throwing him a look that could have reduced a lesser man to a scorch-mark on the floor.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, 'Mione," he played dumb, avoiding her gaze.

"Yes, you do," she lowered her voice and leaned in slightly. "I know what's been going on between you and Malfoy."

Harry's head snapped round and he looked into her brown eyes, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're bluffing."

"Am I?" she raised an eyebrow. "Ron told me this morning that all the guys who were at George's stag party last night were laughing their heads off last night on the way home from the club. Do you want to know what was so funny? Well, _apparently_, Charlie was _so drunk_ that he could have _sworn_ that he saw you kissing Draco Malfoy at the end of the bar. Isn't that hilarious?" She made sure to stress each word, her voice dripping with disdain.

Harry gave a tight smile. "Hilarious… yeah. He must have been really drunk to think -"

"Save it, Harry," she snapped, looking furious. "I can't believe you would lie to me about this. I have been telling you for weeks and weeks to leave Ginny if you're not happy with her. There is no shame in ending your marriage if you don't feel that it's working. There is shame, however, in sneaking around behind her back and lying to your friend about it," she brought up a hand as Harry opened his mouth to speak, cutting him off. "I don't want to hear excuses. I don't want to hear anything. In fact, the less I know, the better. Just… just make it right."

Harry looked down at his hands. He could feel Hermione's eyes boring into him but he couldn't bring himself to look at her. She had looked so disappointed in him and he desperately wanted to avoid ever seeing that look again. Behind him, he could hear the DJ setting up on the stage. He looked round to see Lee Jordan on the decks, pointing his wand at his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming George and Alicia Weasley to the floor!" his magically amplified voice rang out across the tent and the crowd cheered as the couple made their way to the dancefloor. "For their first dance, they have chosen this classic from Celestina Warbeck. Let's give them a big hand…"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other briefly before joining in with polite applause. Her expression softened and she placed a hand on Harry's forearm.

"I know you'll do the right thing, Harry. You always do," she said gently, standing up and taking Ron's hand. Harry watched as his two best friends twirled onto the dancefloor, joining the other couples who were up and swaying in time to the music. He suddenly felt a small hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Ginny smiling at him, her brown eyes sparkling.

"Dance with me," she said, pulling him out of his seat and leading him to the front of the marquee. She placed his hands at the small of her back and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her cheek on his shoulder. She swayed her hips gently and they slowly turned on the spot. "Mmm, this is nice."

Harry watched the crowd over her head for a few moments. In that short time he took in all the happy, smiling faces around him and the murmured words of adoration from one person to another. He saw Ron tuck a loose strand of Hermione's hair behind her ear; he watched as George and Alicia shared a kiss, looking as though the entire world had stopped just for them; Fleur resting her cheek against Bill's, seemingly unfazed by his terrible scars. He then caught sight of Molly Weasley, gazing up at Arthur as though, after all these years – after all these decades, even – the sole reason she got up in the morning was to see him smile, and he suddenly felt the air vanish from his lungs. Every person in the room was making their love so obvious to the outside world. They were really putting themselves out there and it was plain for anyone to see how happy each person was. He wanted that. He was tired of pretending that he had it with Ginny when his every waking moment was filled with thoughts of Draco. His thoughts were disturbed as he felt Ginny shift slightly in his arms. She pressed her cheek against his and sighed contentedly. "Sickle for your thoughts?" she whispered, smiling against his ear. Harry stared, unseeingly, at a spot above her head.

"I don't love you anymore."

-x-

_**A/N:**__ How's THAT for a cliffhanger? Mwahahaha! You know the drill – you give me reviews, I give you quick updates… hehehe x_


	9. Three Out Of Five Ain't Bad

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were. HarryxDraco slash._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Warnings:**__angry!Ron, distraught!Ginny (yay!)_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N:**__Well, you all gave me such amazing reviews (for the most part anyway. If you have something constructive to add, by all means let me know. If you have a random opinion about something irrelevant to the plot, that in no way hinders the way the story is going, please keep it to yourself. It doesn't allow me to improve my writing, it just serves to piss me off) and I felt so bad for leaving you with such a huge cliffhanger that I decided to give you an early update. How nice am I? x_

Chapter Nine: Three Out of Five Ain't Bad

There was a long pause in which neither Harry nor Ginny made any attempt to speak. Slowly, Ginny took a step back, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. She was trembling and trying desperately to focus on anything but her husband. Harry knew that this was the moment that would turn his life upside down. He should have taken her into his arms and apologised for his awful timing, stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. He should have told her that he never regretted a second of their time together and that he never meant for things to end this way. He watched as her shoulders began to shake and he knew that he should have wiped away the tears that were now leaving wet, salty trails on her pretty face. He should have done something, anything, to soften the blow of his words and lessen the pain that she was undoubtedly feeling at that moment. He didn't. Instead, he turned on his heel and left the marquee without a word, Ginny's anguished sobs ringing out across the dancefloor.

He walked quickly, almost running, but he heard his name being called. He turned to see Ron running towards him and his instincts were screaming at him to move, to just get away before he caught up with him, but he ignored his gut feeling and stood his ground. Whatever Ron was going to dish out, Harry more than deserved.

"What the fuck, Harry?!" Ron yelled. He shoved him hard, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Ron, I -"

"What the hell has gotten into you?!" the redhead's face was contorted with rage and he looked as though he wanted to punch him. "Ginny's in there sobbing her heart out! She can't even speak!"

"I -"

"You've ruined my brother's wedding!" he bellowed, shoving him again, this time knocking him to the ground. "How could you do that to George? How could you do that to your _wife_?! The woman that you supposedly love!"

"But I _don't _love her!" Harry cried, looking up at his best friend. "And I'm sorry that I ruined the wedding but I just sort of blurted it out! I never wanted meant it to happen this way," he sighed, dropping his head into his hands. He took off his glasses and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I'm so sorry."

Ron stared at his oldest friend in shock. He loved Harry like a brother and he knew that he would never intentionally hurt anybody, but he was still furious with him. He sat down on the grass beside his fellow Gryffindor and they gazed into the distance for what seemed like hours. Harry watched with silent tears rolling down his cheeks as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, casting a rosy golden glow on the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. He could feel Ron watching him but he couldn't bring himself to look his best friend in the eye.

"Maybe it's just the stress of your jobs," he said quietly, pulling at the hem of his robes. "You both work long hours, maybe you just don't see each other enough."

"It's not that. I've been unhappy for a long time, long before Gin was made captain."

"Oh. Well, maybe if you make more time for each other, things will go back to the way they were," he suggested hopefully.

"I doubt it."

"Maybe if -"

"There's someone else," Harry said dully.

Silence fell once more and neither man looked at one another. Ron knew that he should have been outraged that his best friend was cheating on his little sister but he knew how sensitive Harry was and he knew from experience how difficult Ginny was to live with. She was loud and unreasonable and, if he was honest with himself, it was a miracle that they had lasted as long as they had. Ron lifted an arm and slung it around Harry's shoulders, pulling him into a rough hug. If a relationship is not meant to be, saying the wrong thing or nothing at all can be all it takes to end it. If you are lucky, you'll find a relationship so strong that no words are necessary. Harry and Ron's was the latter.

-x-

Harry stared at the ceiling in the darkness, listening to Draco's light breathing. He loved the feeling of sleeping beside him, his warm and comforting weight just inches away. He turned onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow, gazing down at his lover's sleeping form. His eyes were closed and he looked like an angel, with his pale skin almost luminescent in the dark and his halo of blonde hair glinting in the moonlight. Harry smiled and buried his face in Draco's chest, inhaling deeply.

"I love you," he murmured, closing his eyes and pulling him closer.

Draco, who had been pretending to be asleep, opened his eyes and prayed that the Gryffindor could not hear his rapidly accelerating heartbeat. Had Harry just said that he loved him? It certainly sounded like it. Yet he had said it thinking that he was asleep, so maybe he wasn't ready for Draco to know. The blonde's mind immediately went to war, with half of him wanting desperately to say it back, and the other half trying to be respectful of Harry's boundaries. In the end, he grudgingly chose the second option. He tried his best to lie perfectly still and, a few minutes later, the sound of Harry's breathing deepening alerted him to the fact that his boyfriend had finally fallen asleep. After two hours of fighting consciousness to no avail, he threw on his tracksuit and went for a run, leaving Harry snoring quietly into his pillow.

-x-

A week had passed since The Incident, as Hermione referred to it, and Harry couldn't face Flooing in sick again. Not that Kingsley was upset – Ron had explained everything to him and the Minister had personally owled Harry with his condolences regarding his marriage and urging him to take as much time as he needed – but Harry felt terrible. There were only five months until he and Ron would graduate from the Auror training programme and these final few units were incredibly important. They would be studying four five-week blocks of various advanced subjects, the first being Potions. He had to admit, he was feeling a little gun-shy after the debacle with Ron's last attempt at potion-making but it was an essential unit if he wanted to sit his final exams in June. The written part was taken at the beginning of summer and only if your mark was Exceeds Expectations or above would you be put forward for the practical section of the exam, which took place in August. Harry surveyed Draco over his breakfast.

"What?" Draco asked, not looking up from the _Prophet_.

"Nothing," Harry busied himself with buttering another slice of toast.

"Spit it out," Draco was not a morning person. Harry didn't think it helped that he refused to eat anything before noon, but he would never voice this opinion for fear of ending up on the wrong end of his boyfriend's wand.

"Would you like a piece of toast?" the Gryffindor asked timidly, gesturing towards the plate in front of him.

"You know that I can only handle black coffee in the morning," the blonde snapped. "Now, why are you staring at me?"

"No reason," he replied through a mouthful of scrambled egg, earning him a disapproving glare from Draco. "It's just work stuff, it can wait."

Draco's expression softened. "I know you're worried about your exams but I know you'll do brilliantly."

"I not so sure. Our next topic is Potions," he said gloomily, pushing his food around with his fork.

"I thought that you'd covered Potions already," Draco replied, looking puzzled.

"We do it every year but this year we've had two blocks of it already and one more to go. I'm shit with Potions and you should see what they've set for this unit. Some of the stuff they have us making is ridiculous," the brunette moaned. "I just know that I'm going to fail."

"Well..." Draco wasn't about to argue the fact that Harry was terrible at this particular subject; six years of shared lessons had shown him no evidence to the contrary. "I do happen to know the head of the Potions department at St Mungos and I'm _pretty sure_ that he'd be willing to help you for a very reasonable price."

"Hmm, is that right?" Harry grinned and leaned across the table. "And would this _friend_ of yours be willing to accept sexual favours as payment?"

Draco smirked and leaned closer, his mouth against Harry's ear. "You know, I think he just might."

Kissing him, Harry stood and grabbed his bag. "Thank you, it would help a lot if you walked me through everything."

"Not a problem," Draco smiled as he reached for his coffee mug. "Have a good day at work."

Harry turned and walked towards the fireplace, secretly thinking that he couldn't fail to have a good day after seeing the Slytherin's beautiful smile. How he had known him for eleven years, lived with him for six, and never seen that smile, he had no idea. Draco Malfoy's smile was a sight to behold and he had to work very hard to stop himself from grinning like an idiot as he made his way through the Ministry corridors.

"Harry?" Ron's voice echoed loudly in the huge Atrium and Harry turned around, embarrassed to see that everyone had turned to stare at him.

"Shhh! Yes, it's me," he laughed, pressing the button for the lift. The taller man caught up with him easily and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Merlin, it's good at have you back, mate!"

"I've only been away for a week!" a quiet _ping_ announced the arrival of the lift and they stepped inside. "It feels like it's been longer than that though."

"Yeah, I know. We missed you yesterday," Ron looked at him sadly. Every week, the Weasley family had a Sunday roast at the Burrow and almost everyone made the effort to go. It was lovely to see everyone and talk about the previous week over Molly's excellent cooking, and Harry had felt supremely sorry for himself as he tucked into a grilled cheese sandwich the previous night.

"I missed everyone too," he admitted. "How's Ginny?"

"Not great, mate," Ron replied quietly. "She's moved back in with Mum and Dad."

"Oh," he didn't know what else to say to that. He had assumed that she would be staying at number twelve.

"Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services," a cool, female voice announced and the lift shuddered to a halt, the doors sliding open.

"Where are you staying now then?" Ron asked as they hurried down the corridor to the training rooms.

"Sorry?"

"Ginny mentioned that she'd gone to pick up some stuff and it didn't look like you'd been back at all," Ron shrugged. "I thought it seemed a bit odd but 'Mione said not to bring it up. She doesn't seem all that worried to be honest."

"Oh. I'm just staying at a... friend's house," he said vaguely, not looking at him.

"Oh right, cool. Anyone I know?" Ron asked, looking slightly relieved.

Harry bit his lip. He knew that there was no point in lying to his best friend as they were friends with the same people and it would very quickly get back to Ron that he was not, in fact, staying with Seamus or Dean or Neville or any of Ron's brothers. He took a quick look around before pulling Ron into an empty office and casting a Silencing Charm on the door. "Do you promise not to be pissed off?"

Ron looked worried as he took a seat on an empty desk. "o...kay... what is it?"

"I'm serious. You're not going to like what I'm about to say and you have to promise not to get angry or hex me or punch me. Okay?"

"I promise," Ron frowned. "What have you done?"

Harry took a deep breath. "I'm staying with Malfoy."

Ron was silent for a moment, no doubt trying to decide if Harry was joking or not. Apparently he settled on _not_.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Malfoy?!" he cried, jumping up.

"I told you that you weren't going to like it," Harry took a step back, wanting to put as much distance between himself and Ron's fist as he could.

"Not like it? Harry, I _don't like_ when Danny draws on the wall and I _don't like_ blackcurrant jam on my toast. I HATE Draco Malfoy to hell and back!" he said, his ears beginning to turn red. "Never mind not liking him!"

"Ron, please just hear me out," Harry looked at him pleadingly.

"Harry, if you need somewhere to stay, you just have to ask! 'Mione and I would love have you and I'm sure Danny wouldn't mind seeing more of you, either."

"That's very kind of you to offer but you've got issues with space as it is. There's hardly room to swing a kneazle in your flat!"

Ron ignored this and tried a different approach. "I suppose you're going to tell me that he's changed and that he's not the same smug, slimy little arrogant prick that he was five years ago?"

"Well, yes. He's great, actually, and nothing like he was at school," Harry said defensively. "He's a Healer at St Mungos now. He treated me after you nearly killed me," he added with a grin.

Ron didn't smile, however. "How can you trust him?"

"I just can. I swear, he is a completely different person now. I think you could really like him if you gave him a chance," Harry said gently. Ron snorted, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "_ferret"_.

"Well, do you know what, Ron? You can say what you like but it won't change my mind about him," Harry saw no point in keeping anything else hidden from his best friend. It would only serve to make things worse when it all came out in the future. "Do you remember at the wedding when I told you that there was someone else? It's Draco. That's who I was seeing behind Ginny's back."

Ron's face turned a violent shade of magenta and he looked as though he was about to throw up. "Are you... are you still together?"

"Yes, we are. And I've never been happier," Harry watched as Ron fell backwards into a vacant chair, his eyes glazed over. "I know you're angry and I don't expect you to accept this right away but I'm tired of lying to everyone. I'm with Draco and I think he's amazing. I hope that, one day, you will think so too."

With that, he turned on his heel and marched over to the door, tapping the lock with his wand. He pulled the handle and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and found himself caught in a fierce embrace, his cheek pressed awkwardly against Ron's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for being a dick. I know it must have been really hard going through this by yourself," Ron said quietly, sounding slightly embarrassed. "I know we don't really do the mushy friend stuff but I just want to say that I'm here for you. I know you must have felt like you couldn't talk to anyone because we're all so close with Ginny."

Harry felt a rush of affection for Ron. He took a step back and looked up into his ocean blue eyes, which were looking suspiciously watery. He conjured a tissue. "Hayfever season again, eh?" he remarked, as the redhead blew his nose. "They need to stop cutting the grass so early in the morning."

Ron looked at him thankfully and mumbled something indiscernible as they made their way out of the room and down the corridor. Harry clapped him on the back and grinned, feeling as though he was walking on air. He had an amazing boyfriend, the best friends in the entire world and he was well on his way to having his dream job. Nothing could bring him down today, not even the mountain of paperwork on his desk or five years of marriage going down the shitter. As the saying goes, three out of five ain't bad.

-x-

_**A/N: **__Wow, what a cheesy way to end that chapter. I think I just coined my own phrase! Anyway, please review! And please don't be put off by my rant at the beginning of the chapter, I've just been plagued with people chiming in with little criticisms about minor non-plot-related details and it really bugs me. I love hearing what you guys have to say. Cookies to the best reviewer! The one to try and beat is Riyan, she's always my best reviewer *grins*_


	10. Dinner With The Weasleys

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N:**____Over 100 reviews – yay! Thank you so much for your continued support, it means the world to me. Here we are at chapter ten already, enjoy x_

Chapter Ten: Dinner With The Weasleys

Draco was in a foul mood. He and Harry had spent every night together at his flat for a month and Harry still had not said that he loved him. Not while they were both awake, anyway. Every night, Draco pretended to sleep while Harry whispered that he loved him before falling asleep himself. And every night, Draco lay beside him, silently fuming and unable to clear his mind enough to get a decent night's rest and so turned up at work the next day with a face like a slapped arse. The word had spread among staff and patients alike that he was not to be approached unless absolutely vital and his popularity among the mediwitches had fallen dramatically. Everything else, however, was perfect. Fan-bloody-tastic. He had no experience of being in a relationship and now, with almost three months of smooth-sailing under their belts, he was starting to panic. Surely everything couldn't continue being perfect forever? No, of course not; he was bound to slip up sooner or later and ruin everything. He tried his best to appear calm and collected around his boyfriend but he could feel himself inching towards a minor breakdown.

"Okay, so I add the diced roots now?"

"No, you add the powdered horn then stir clockwise six times."

"Oh, right."

Draco had kept his promise and spent most nights helping Harry with his Potions coursework. At first, armed with his trademark Malfoy arrogance, he had assumed that he would have the Gryffindor up and running by the end of the week, brewing complex potions and writing up reports worthy of an Outstanding grade. A month later, however, Draco was beginning to feel that Harry was beyond help. The man was simply useless with a cauldron. Draco ran his hand through his hair in frustration, a smudge of soot on his pointed nose.

"Now, count as you stir," Draco nodded each time Harry's spatula made a full circle. "Okay, it should be pale blue at this stage," he said, consulting the book in front of him. The two men leaned over to get a better look at the concoction, which was bubbling sluggishly and had the same consistency as cold custard. "At least it's blue!" Draco said, trying to seem cheerful. "That's progress!"

Harry groaned. "This is useless! I'm never going to pass!" He threw himself down on the couch, looking defeated. "I give up. I might as well quit and work for Luna at the Quibbler!"

"Don't be stupid," Draco shook his head. "I'm going to help you pass this exam if it's the last thing I do. Now, we have to get ready or we're going to be late."

"Do we have to go to the Burrow? I really don't want to see them," Harry suddenly looked tense. "What am I supposed to say? _'Hey, George, sorry I ruined your wedding!_'?"

"I'm sure nobody will even bring that up. It's not exactly a lighthearted conversation piece, is it?" Draco reasoned. "And they've been asking us to come every week for a month now. They wouldn't invite you if they didn't want you there."

Harry considered this before getting to his feet. "You're right," he sighed. "I can't avoid them forever. I just hope it's not awkward."

Half an hour, a shared shower and two almost-arguments later, Harry and Draco found themselves outside the Burrow. As Harry raised a hand to knock, the door flew open to reveal Mrs. Weasley, a wooden spoon in one hand and her wand in the other.

"Harry, dear, how wonderful to see you!" she cried, pulling him into a suffocating hug. "You're getting too thin again, dear," she pulled back and eyed him critically. "We must keep an eye on that."

"Yes, Molly," he replied dutifully, smiling. There was a pause. "Erm, Molly, this is Draco," he thrust his boyfriend towards her and laughed at the alarmed expression on the blonde's face as he, too, was enveloped by the Weasley matriarch.

"Draco, how nice it is to finally meet you. We've heard so many wonderful things about you," she gushed.

"All lies, I assure you," Ron appeared at his mother's shoulder, a butterbeer in his hand.

"Ronald, that's quite enough," Mrs. Weasley scolded him, slapping his hand as he went to grab a piece of chicken from a plate on the counter. "And don't touch the food until I say!"

Harry and Draco made their way into the house, pausing before they reached the sitting room.

"I should probably warn you – the whole family turns up for Sunday dinner. It can be a little overwhelming, especially if you're not from a large family," Harry whispered and Draco looked confused.

"I've already met them though. Weasel and she-Weasel, those retched twins and the poncy one with the glasses, right?"

"Well… one of the twins died in the… erm… a few years ago," Harry stammered, not wanting to bring up the war. "Ron has two other brothers and, well, I'll let you see for yourself," he smirked and led the Slytherin into the sitting room, which looked like a bomb had hit it. George and Alicia were sitting on the sofa across from Percy and Penelope, whose twins were running riot and darting in and out of the room at the speed of light. Hermione was trying to sustain a conversation with Fleur, who was heavily pregnant for the second time, but both Danny and Victoire were pulling at the hems of their robes, desperate for attention. Bill and Charlie were having an arm-wrestling contest with Teddy, while Andromeda looked on anxiously from the sidelines. Ron entered the room and scooped his son up, throwing him over his shoulder and laughing as the toddler giggled and squirmed.

"Hi," Harry called and the noise level in the room rose as everyone turned to greet him. There was a split-second where all eyes came to rest on Draco but Harry had a feeling that they were under strict orders from Molly not to say anything. He turned to his boyfriend, who was looking rather alarmed at the scene before him. "You alright?"

"Sunday dinner at the Manor is Mother and I taking supper in the smallest dining room," Draco looked around the room. "This is pandemonium! How can you be so calm?"

"I love this," Harry grinned. "It's great to see everyone having fun."

A floorboard creaked behind them and he turned to see Ginny standing in the doorway, her eyes wide. They hadn't seen each other since the wedding and, Harry had to admit, she looked like shit warmed up. She was paler than usual and she'd lost weight, giving her a gaunt, drawn appearance. She wore no make-up and dark circles were clearly visible under her eyes.

"Hi, Ginny," he said quietly.

"So it's true," she remarked tonelessly. "You left me for _him_."

Harry dropped his gaze to the floor. "Yes," he replied, bracing himself for the tirade that was bound to follow. When nothing came after a few moments of silence, he glanced up to see her eyes flicking back and forward between Draco and himself. She blinked back tears and took a deep breath.

"You're a bastard, Harry," she spat, before turning on her heel and marching upstairs to her bedroom.

"Well, I think that went surprisingly well," George joked and a few people laughed, breaking the tension that had appeared in the room with Ginny's arrival. Mr. Weasley appeared in the same spot that Ginny had just vacated to announce that dinner had been served. As it was such a nice night, two large tables had been assembled in the back garden and were groaning under the weight of Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking.

"Everything looks delicious, Mrs. Weasley," Draco commented as everyone took their seats.

"Thank you, Draco," she replied, her cheeks flushed with pride. "And do call me Molly."

The noise level at the table rose again as people resumed their conversations while helping themselves to chicken and ham pie, potatoes and a huge array of vegetables. Draco remained silent, looking uncharacteristically nervous; Harry gave his knee a reassuring squeeze under the table.

"So, Draco, Harry tells us that you're a Healer. It must be fascinating work," Hermione said, and Harry gave her an appreciative smile.

"Well, I love what I do," Draco replied, looking embarrassed as all eyes turned to focus on him. "Potions is something that has always come naturally to me and to be able to help so many people with something that I enjoy… it really is great. Harry mentioned that you do similar work."

Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "On a smaller scale, of course, but I really enjoy experimenting with the medical side of potion-making. It was something that had never occurred to me during my time at Hogwarts and I sort of fell into it but now I can't imagine doing anything else."

"You do such fantastic work and your research is, admittedly, overlooked somewhat. I'll see what I can do to have your funding increased; I'm sure the head of department would be happy to introduce your research to a few donors and get you the recognition that you deserve," Draco said delicately and Hermione looked as though Christmas had come early.

"Would you? Oh, Draco, that would be wonderful! Ronald, did you hear that?"

Ron forced his face into a smile. "That sounds great! Thanks, Malfoy," he added grudgingly.

"Of course. No trouble at all," Draco inclined his head politely before returning to his dinner, leaving Hermione grinning so hard that Harry feared her face might collapse.

They began to eat and watched in silence as the entire family began to talk at once, each conversation being held with someone at the opposite end of the table, and each person struggling to be heard over the din.

"Draco, dear, have some more potatoes," Molly was saying, pushing the huge dish towards the blonde. "You're awfully thin. Are you not eating properly? I'll send a lasagne over tomorrow night, see if we can't fatten you up a bit."

"That's very kind of you, Mrs. Weasley, but -"

"Nonsense, I insist! It's no bother at all, my dear. Now, have some potaoes. Would you like gravy? Bill, pass Draco the gravy…"

Feeling the hairs on his neck stand up, Harry glanced around the table. He had the distinct feeling that he was being watched and his gaze fell upon Ginny, who had not touched her food and was staring at him with the same single-minded determination that she applied to everything, from wedding planning to Quidditch strategies. He quickly averted his gaze. How did she manage to go for so long without blinking? It would be impressive if it wasn't so creepy. He looked back slowly, to find her continuing to study him as though he was a mildly interesting television programme. It wasn't a calculating look. There was no surliness in her expression, no malice, nothing. She just stared. He jumped to his feet, dropping his napkin on the table.

"Toilet," he said gruffly, by way of an explanation as Draco looked at him questioningly.

"At least we can't say you don't share, mate," George joked, and a few people tittered around the table.

Harry half-walked, half-ran into the house and hurried up the stairs, stepping into the first bathroom that he came to. Splashing water on his face, he tried to shake the feeling that he was being watched. He leaned against the sink, resting his forehead on the cool mirrored surface of the supply cabinet and took a deep, steadying breath. A noise outside the bathroom brought him back to his senses and he slowly opened the door, a pair of brown eyes meeting his as he did so.

"Ginny, you scared the shit out of me," he said, attempting a smile, which he was surprised to see that she returned.

"Sorry, I know you hate when I do that," she giggled, fluttering her eyelashes up at him.

"It's okay, it'll take more than that to give me a heart attack," he joked, trying to get past her. He had no idea what had caused the sudden change in mood but he had no interest in staying with her long enough to give her the chance to start shouting. "'Scuse me, Gin." She took a step forward, serving to press her chest against his, and ran her hand up the inside of his thigh. He caught her wrist and stepped back, quirking an eyebrow at her. "What are you doing?"

"Come on, Harry, don't play dumb," she gave a tinkling laugh. "I saw you looking at me out there."

"I was only looking at you because you were staring at me," Harry frowned, letting go of her arm as though burned.

"No, you gave me the signal. You know, when you looked at me and then went to the bathroom. You wanted me to follow," she elaborated when he continued to look blank.

Harry gaped at her. "What? No I didn't!"

She smirked and took another step forward, bringing her hand up to his cheek. "No need to act coy, Harry. I know that this… _thing_ with Malfoy is just a bump in the road. Your little experiment, so to speak, before you come back to me."

"Believe me, Ginny, this is not a _bump in the road_, as you put it. I'm with Draco now," he nodded, as if for emphasis. She blinked.

"Don't be stupid, Harry. Can't you see that he's just using you? No-one could ever love you like I do."

Harry recoiled. "Are you hearing yourself? You sound insane, Ginny!" She was gazing up at him, her eyes filled with lust and adoration, and he found it incredibly unnerving. She moved as though to kiss him and he jumped away, shoving her to the side and almost running down the stairs. When he reached the garden, Mrs. Weasley was directing the dirty dishes into the house with her wand and Summoning various dishes of puddings to take their place on the table. Draco gave him a worried look.

"Are you alright? You look like you're about to be sick!"

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled. "I'm just tired. Do you fancy heading home for an early night?"

Draco's eyes were full of concern. "Of course, I'll get your cloak."

They made their apologies to Molly and Arthur, and bid the rest of the family farewell before Apparating back to London. As Harry crawled into bed beside his boyfriend, he was still plagued with unease. _No-one could ever love you like I do_, she had said. He knew deep down that Ginny's love for him was based on a childhood fantasy of him as the saviour of the Wizarding world but her words had still struck a nerve. What if she was right? What if everyone saw him only as the media portrayed him, and not as the real Harry? Or, worst of all, what if people saw the real him and didn't like it? Maybe he was so broken by the prophecy and the war and his stupid sense of duty – _hero-complex_, his friends had called it – that he had been rendered unlovable. He blinked back tears but, as he listened intently to Draco's breathing, he felt a small amount of calm return to him. Draco had already admitted that he loved him. He had said it and, judging by the look on his face the first time that it had slipped out, he really meant it. He took a deep breath, looking down at his boyfriend's sleeping face, and smiled. Ginny was an idiot. She didn't know what the hell she was talking about. Placing his head in the crook of Draco's neck, Harry sighed contentedly, a whispered _I love you_, escaping his lips as his eyes fluttered closed.

-x-

_**A/N: **__Well, guys, there it is. Not the longest of updates, granted, but an update all the same. I hope you liked it. Cookies and high praise to the best reviewer! x_


	11. Congratulations

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N: **I don't know what happened this week - you guys were a bit stingy with reviews! As punishment, I will be keeping the cookies for myself and nobody gets any. Let's see if you can do any better this week, hmm? Thank you to everyone who did take the time to review, it means the world to me. Here is chapter eleven - enjoy x  
_

Chapter Eleven: Congratulations

Sunday dinner with the Weasleys was becoming a regular thing, with Harry and Draco having attended another three together. The whole family seemed to be willing to give Draco a chance and even Ron had stopped giving him sly digs, though Harry suspected that was more Hermione's doing than a sudden change of heart on Ron's part. June 5th – Draco's birthday – had passed and was spent at Malfoy Manor with Narcissa. It had been a long time since Harry had last seen her and, he had to admit, the years had not been kind to her. Once beautiful and regal, she was now tired-looking, her face set with many wrinkles. She was, however, a delightful woman, who obviously thought the world of her son, as she spent the entire day spoiling him with gifts and a lavish dinner for the three of them. Harry's exams had also come and gone, and he was now waiting anxiously for the results. Draco had been true to his word and continued to tutor him in potions, regardless of how awful he was at it. He saw the frustration on the blonde's face when he made a mistake and the badly-hidden sarcasm that was forever bubbling beneath the surface, threatening to spill out when he answered a question incorrectly. He appreciated how hard his boyfriend had worked to get him through his exams more than he would ever know but he still hadn't been able to tell him that he loved him. He could see the hopeful look in his beautiful silver eyes every time he had attempted to get the words out and it broke his heart to see the way the Slytherin's shoulders sagged when he stammered, "could you pass the salt?" or something equally as pathetic. He had no doubt that he loved him and his inability to say the words baffled him. Draco had actually stopped professing his love in order to avoid the awkward pause that followed.

"Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?" Draco asked, his voice muffled by his pillow.

"Sure," Harry replied, tracing indiscernible patterns across the blonde's shoulders with his fingertips. "Where were you thinking?"

"I know a lovely little place near my house in France," Draco shivered at the Gryffindor's touch, which was now slowly moving further down his arm.

"France?" Harry laughed. "Fair enough. I need to stop off at the Burrow to see Ron about something first but then we can go wherever you want," he slid his hand down to touch Draco's tattoo. He had been horrified the first time he had noticed the Mark on his lover's arm but, as time had passed, he began to accept as a part of his past.

"Is _she_ going to be there?" Draco asked sulkily. The day after their first visit to the Burrow, Harry had admitted everything about his run-in with Ginny in the bathroom. Draco was furious and demanded to know if it happened again, and so he was forced to tell him that the redhead had attempted to charm her way back into Harry's good books every time they had come into contact. It had gone from being awkward and slightly embarrassing to downright alarming the way she was attempting to force herself on him. Their last encounter had ended with him wandless and her straddling him, sans blouse, before Draco had charged in and removed her bodily from the room. Harry almost laughed at the memory. As terrifying as it had been, the look on his ex-wife's face was priceless.

"Not as far as I know," Harry replied. "I'll only be in for a couple of minutes anyway so hopefully I'll be gone before she can have another go at raping me," he tried to sound lighthearted but he knew how much the situation bothered the Slytherin.

"I wish she'd get it through her thick skull that you're with me now," the blonde sat up, a scowl on his face. "She makes me so angry!"

"I know, but it's hard for her. I had you to turn to when we broke up but she didn't have anyone," he said soothingly, "I just think she's having a hard time accepting that we can't be together."

"Oh, come on!" Draco scoffed. "She knows that you're gay but she still insists that she can make you fall in love with her. She's a psycho, Harry."

"I think that's maybe a bit strong," Harry frowned. "She's just confused. She needs time to adjust."

"So you're just going to let her paw at you until she gets the message because you're too polite and _understanding _to stop her?!" Draco snapped. "What the hell is it going to take for her to see that you're with someone else?"

"As I said: she just needs time -"

"Time?! It's been months! How much time does it take to realise that you're no longer with someone?"

"Well, we're technically still married so she probably thinks that -"

"Does it matter what she thinks?" Draco cried incredulously. "She's a deranged stalker!"

"I hardly think she's _deranged_, Draco!" Harry said hotly.

"She thinks that she can turn you straight, for Merlin's sake! And, to be honest, you never seem to mind too much. You actually seem to find the whole thing funny!"

"Of course I mind, I just don't want to be too harsh. I ended things in the worst possible way and so I'm trying to let her down gently with this new fixation of getting me back."

"Do you want her back?" the Slytherin narrowed his eyes.

"How can you even ask me that?!" Harry jumped out of bed, furious. When Draco did not reply, he threw his hands up in the air. "No, I don't want her back! I'm with you, aren't I?"

"How am I supposed to compete with your wife?" Draco got to his feet and the two men glared at each other from opposite sides of the bed. "You were with her for years and she still loves you. How can I compete with that?"

"Ginny doesn't love me, she loves the _idea_ of me. She's obsessed with this ridiculous hero status that the media have fashioned for me. She always has been," Harry said wearily, his defenses dropping.

"Then prove it," Draco's expression became defiant. "Prove that you want me more than her."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"Divorce her," he said bluntly. "Divorce her and move in with me."

"Divorce… Draco, I… you want me to move in with you?"

"Yes. You're here all the time anyway and most of your stuff is here, it's the next logical step."

Harry looked thoughtful. "Well, I suppose there really is no reason to stay married to her and it might help her to move on. Give her closure or something."

"I agree. So you'll move in?" Draco gazed at him with that hopeful look in his eyes and Harry felt any and all doubts melt away instantly.

"Of course I will, I love… I love staying here," he finished lamely, his cheeks flushing. "Are you sure I wouldn't be imposing?"

"It's not imposing when you've been invited, you arse," Draco laughed, making his way over to the brunette and pulling him into a warm embrace. "I love you staying here too," he whispered, causing Harry to think that the blonde knew exactly what he'd been about to say.

"How does one go about getting divorced, then?" Harry asked, taking a step back.

"Mother has a fantastic lawyer – I'll Floo over to his office in a while and get him to draw up the papers," Draco replied importantly. "How do you intend to split your assets?"

"She can have two hundred and fifty thousand Galleons from my vault in Gringotts but I'll be damned if she's getting the house. Sirius left it to me and her name is going nowhere near those bloody deeds," Harry said darkly.

"Well, leave it with me and I'll see what I can do," Draco smiled and Harry's heart skipped a beat. He really loved that smile.

-x-

"I'm pregnant," Hermione threw herself into a seat across from Harry at Draco's kitchen table, looking as though she was about to burst into tears. Harry's eyes widened and he was unsure of whether to congratulate her or not. Luckily, he chose the latter. "What am I supposed to do? Danny's just growing out of this horrible phase full of tantrums and bad behaviour, honestly, he's like a mini George. I can't go through it all again, Harry, I just can't. I won't."

Harry had been hoping to discuss his impending divorce when she had announced that she was coming over. Draco had arranged for the papers to be drawn up a few days before but this did not seem the appropriate moment to bring it up. He took her hand in his. "Does Ron know?"

"Yes, and he's over the moon. He's already bought a Chudley Cannon babygro! I can't talk to him about this, it'd break his heart," Hermione looked crestfallen. "He wants to tell everyone at dinner tomorrow but I just don't think I can cope with everyone fawning all over me all night. He's convinced that this is only the beginning for us but I refuse to be a baby machine just to keep him happy!" She was becoming hysterical now and Harry darted round the table, pulling her into a hug.

"It's okay, it'll be fine," Harry tried to sound soothing but Hermione wriggled free from his grip to glare at him.

"How will it be fine? My department has just been awarded more funding and we've had a brilliant development on one of our test potions. I need to be there more than ever over the next year to oversee our three new interns. Ron's exams are coming up and, with any luck, he'll be taking up a full-fledged Auror position come September. A baby just doesn't really fit into our plans right now," she was babbling and Harry grabbed her again and forced her into a hug. She was tense for a moment and by the time she relaxed, she was crying in earnest.

"I'm only twenty-two, Harry," she said between sobs. "And Ron has no money so I doubt he'll be buying an engagement ring any time soon," her shoulders shook and he patted her hair awkwardly. He had never seen his best friend this distressed in his life. "Two kids by the time I'm twenty-three! This wasn't in my plans! I had a plan, Harry, and this wasn't in it!"

Harry kissed the top of her bushy head and pulled her closer to him. "Remember how scared you were when you found out that you were pregnant with Danny? And you were scared to tell your parents because you were only nineteen and you thought they'd be disappointed? You were convinced that having a baby would ruin your life, but look at you now! You're so successful and so good at your job, and I know that you love Danny more than anything," he could still feel her shaking and the shoulder of his shirt was damp with tears but she was no longer sobbing loudly, which he took as a sign that his speech was working. "Just imagine how happy you're going to feel in a few months when you look up at Ron holding your new son or daughter. I can't begin to imagine that feeling, 'Mione, and you should feel so lucky that you get to experience it not just once, but _twice_. It's a gift, and I know it's scary but I promise you that everything will work out. I promise."

She pulled away from him and he conjured a tissue with his wand. Blowing her nose loudly, she gave him a watery smile. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Of course. You're always here for me, now it's my turn to be there for you," he patted her arm in what he hoped was a comforting manner.

"Well, I appreciate it. I love Ron with all my heart but he's not the easiest person in the world to talk to," she admitted, looking guilty.

"You're preaching to the choir here. I was so scared to tell him about me and Draco but he was actually really great about it," Harry cocked his head. "Maybe you should sit down with him and have a good talk. If there's one thing I've learned about Ron, it's that he'll always surprise you. He's the most loyal guy in the world and he loves you to bits, though he plays it down so that he doesn't lose cool points with the guys!"

Hermione sniffed. "You're right. I just need to be honest with him," she conceded.

"Don't sound so surprised! I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

"Oh, shut up," she elbowed him in the ribs, laughing weakly. They stared at each other in silence for a moment. "It is a gift, Harry, one I'm sure you'll experience one day. You and Draco."

Harry was stunned. He had never considered the possibility that he and Draco could have a normal life and a family but, now that he thought about it, he couldn't think of anything that he wanted more. Slowly, a grin spread across his face.

"Do you discuss the future at all?" she asked, shaking her head and looking slightly amused.

"Not really," he shrugged. "We mostly just eat take-out and… y'know…"

"Wow. Now there's an image I don't need at this time of the morning," she squeezed her eyes tight shut and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Sleazy take-out followed by sleazy sex."

"Well, sometimes we don't even make it to the food, we just go straight to the -"

"La la la, I can't hear you!" she covered her ears and shook her head vigorously from side to side. "I really don't need to be privy to information on yours and Draco's sex life!"

Unfortunately for Hermione, Draco chose that moment to wander into the kitchen in nothing but his boxers, scratching his stomach and sporting an impressive erection.

"You're up early, I thought - ARGH!" he gave a strangled yell as he caught sight of Hermione, whose face was currently the colour of a tomato. Grabbing the _Prophet_ from the table, he hastily covered himself and began inching towards the door. "I, um, was just on the way to the… erm… bathroom and thought… well, I didn't know that… sorry!" with that, he turned and practically ran from the room, looking as though he wanted to die. They both looked stunned for a moment before exploding into peals of laughter.

"Well, I think that's my cue to leave!" she laughed, standing up and grabbing her bag. "But before I go," she leaned in conspiratorially. "Congratulations," she winked cheekily. She grinned at him, and a second later she was gone with a loud _crack_, leaving Harry gaping at the spot where she'd been standing.

-x-

_**A/N: **__Okay, another relatively short update but I promise that the next one will make up for it! Let me know what you think so far – cookies to the best reviewer! x_


	12. You Started It

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N: **__Sorry for the delay guys, I've had this chapter written for a while now but I couldn't decide if I wanted to re-write parts of it before I posted or not. I hope it's worth the wait x_

Chapter Twelve: You Started It

Harry knocked gingerly on the bathroom door, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Who is it?" came the suspicious reply, barely audible over the sound of running water.

"It's me. 'Mione's gone now so you can come out," Harry grinned. "If it makes you feel better, she was impressed."

The door swung open suddenly, revealing an outraged Draco, wearing only a frown.

"Of course she was, but that is far from the point!"

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen," Harry rolled his eyes as the Slytherin looked affronted. "And don't give me that look; you know I'm right."

"You're never right," Draco smirked, pulling Harry into the room by the front of his T-shirt. "Now, get your kit off!"

The brunette shook his head, laughing, but did as he was told – whatever he was planning, Harry wasn't about to say no, especially if it took place in here. If there was one part of Draco's posh flat that he never ceased to marvel at, it was the bathroom. At first glance, it appeared to be a normal bathroom, i.e. a toilet, a sink and a standard shower stall but, upon closer inspection, one found that the shower stall was far from standard. You see, Draco had a _wetroom_. Now, Harry had never seen anything like it in his life and it was with great delight that he discovered its brilliance one Sunday afternoon, accompanied by Draco, of course. The only thing he could liken it to was the communal shower block in the swimming pool changing room that he'd visited when he was nine with his Aunt, Uncle and Cousin during the summer holidays, when they were unable to find anyone willing to look after him. The room was tiled floor-to-ceiling, with several showerheads above them and countless jets all around the walls. Harry grinned at the memory of their first session in the wetroom, feeling himself harden in anticipation and he pulled his shirt clumsily over his head, quite forgetting that his glasses were there. As soon as he was fully divested of the offending garments, he was pulled under the stream of hot water, relishing the feeling as it relaxed his tense muscles. The misted glass door swung shut and, within seconds, Draco's mouth was on his, begging entry, which Harry happily obliged. The brunette moaned as he felt the blonde's tongue brush against his own. He kissed him back frantically, dragging his teeth across the Slytherin's bottom lip, drawing a whimper so sexy that Harry almost felt his knees to give out. Obviously annoyed at the momentary loss of control, Draco grabbed his hips and pushed him against the cool, tiled wall, using his full weight to pin him there. Before he had time to react, the Gryffindor found his hands above his head, crossed at the wrist, and secured by invisible bonds. Panting, he opened his eyes to find his boyfriend grinning wickedly, twirling his wand gracefully between his fingers.

"What… what are you doing?" he managed to get out. He gave an experimental tug and was somehow surprised when it remained unyielding.

"Just trying something new," he replied innocently, pacing back and forth in front of him.

"Okay, but… I can't move my hands," Harry frowned slightly and the taller man snorted with laughter.

"That's kind of the point," he smirked, and he descended on Harry with renewed fervor, licking and biting his neck, grinning as the brunette struggled against his bonds. "Relax," he said, more gentle than before. "I'll stop if you want me to but I think you'll like it if you give it a chance."

Harry considered this for a moment and, slowly, he nodded. Draco gave him a huge grin and any lingering doubts instantly vanished. _Fuck it_, he thought to himself. He would do anything for that smile. Little did he know, Draco was well aware of this and fully intended to use it to his advantage. He was going to make the proud Gryffindor beg for him by the end of this.

Harry watched the blonde advance on him, a decidedly predatory gleam in those steely grey eyes and he knew that he should feel nervous but, frankly, he was too busy marveling at how amazing Draco looked. The Slytherin had the deadly combination of brains and beauty - both of which he possessed in quantities so vast that it was should have been illegal. He stood less than a foot away from him and Harry couldn't help but appreciate his smooth, milky skin and sharp features. He watched the muscles in the blonde's shoulders flex slightly as his arms moved and the the way his platinum hair fell in his eyes when he walked. Draco took another step forward, coming to halt just under one of the many showerheads and Harry's brain short-circuited as he took in the sight of his boyfriend, skin slick with water and hair clinging damply to his face. He gave a final, futile, tug on his bonds and groaned in frustration.

"Get over here then!" he snapped, hissing in pleasure as Draco obliged, closing the gap between them and gently pressing his hips upwards. Harry let his head fall back as the blonde resumed his ministrations, gently sucking and nipping at his neck with his teeth. He moaned as he felt a slender hand slide across his back and down his side, coming to rest on his hip. Draco licked the hollow at the base of the brunette's throat and the younger man bucked his hips involuntarily. Smirking, the Slytherin used one hand to hold the eager Gryffindor firmly in place, trailing kisses along his jaw before taking his bottom lip into his mouth and sucking gently. Harry moaned as the blonde began a thorough exploration of his mouth, allowing his free hand to roam unimpeded. He attempted to steady himself, acutely aware of how obvious his desire was, but felt his breathing hitch as cool fingertips ghosted his inner thigh. Now painfully hard, he was growing frustrated at his inability to move his hips. The water was spraying them from all directions and he could feel Draco's chest sliding against his as they kissed feverishly, their tongues fighting for dominance. He fought against his restraints and tried fruitlessly to gain more contact, a low growl escaping him as Draco took a step back. All shame gone, he stood wanton and panting, his emerald eyes half-lidded and clouded with lust. His knees were barely supporting him and had he not been held by magic, he was sure that they would have given out long ago. He let his head fall back to rest against the wall and gazed up at his lover, who was looking at him with a mixture of desire and… something else. Something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something that he recognised in those stormy grey eyes, that made him feel as though he was sixteen years old again and desperately wanting to swing a punch at that smug, arrogant face. Slowly, shakily, he grinned and a bark of laughter escaped his bruised lips. Draco looked at him blankly.

"What? Why are you laughing?"

"You really enjoy having me at your mercy, don't you?" Harry was still grinning.

"Well, yes, but I don't see why that's funny," the blonde frowned at him, taking another step back.

"The look on your face just then…" he laughed again. "That's exactly how you used to look at me when we were fighting at school!"

"No it wasn't!"

"It was! In later years anyway, when our fights got rather more… physical…" he thought back to their fifth year when Draco had been taunting the Gryffindor team after a Quidditch match and Harry had proceeded to beat the living shit out of him, with the help of George Weasley. He could still picture the way the Slytherin had leered at him, his eyes holding the same triumphant look that he'd seen a few moments ago. Draco seemed to be thinking of the same incident because he groaned with embarrassment and covered his face with his hands.

"I was such a detestable little bastard, wasn't I? I deserved everything I got back then."

Harry was about to agree when it suddenly dawned on him how ridiculous the situation was. He was bound, naked, in Draco's shower along with Draco himself, who was also naked, reminiscing about their school days. He was forced to laugh again and, this time, Draco didn't need an explanation.

"I think the moment's gone now, don't you?" the blonde asked, the corners of his lips twitching.

"I suppose," he agreed, looking disappointed but sighing in relief nevertheless as Draco released him with a flick of his wand. Flexing his fingers slowly, he slumped on the floor and allowed the water to wash over him soothingly. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, pushing his hair out of his eyes and giving a contented moan as the water ran down his chest and stomach. A moment later, he found himself on his back with Draco straddling him, a haughty look on his face.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"What can I say?" Harry smirked. "You started it."

-x-

The next evening, Harry and Draco stood on the doorstep of the Burrow, waiting for someone to let them in. Under his cloak, Harry was carrying the large roll of parchment that was his divorce papers and he had every intention of giving them to Ginny that evening but his nerves must have shown because Draco turned to glare at him.

"Will you stand still?! You look like you're about to piss yourself!"

"Oh, I'm _sorry_, is my terror at the concept of presenting my stalker of an ex-wife with divorce papers bothering you?" he snapped. "I'm terribly sorry to have inconvenienced you. How rude of me!"

Draco took a deep breath before replying through clenched teeth: "There's no need to be like that, I was just saying -"

"Well, don't just say, okay? Because -"

Why Draco was not to _just say_, he never found out because the door swung open to reveal Teddy Lupin, who was sporting a shock of electric blue hair and an enormous grin.

"Uncle Harry!" he cried, his eyes instantly changing from ocean blue to emerald green as he began jumping up and down on the spot. He suddenly caught sight of Draco and immediately sobered, his hair becoming whitest blonde. Draco had never met a Metamorphmagus before and found the experience a little strange, to say the least. Harry had had to explain that Teddy did not know how to control his powers and so mimicked everything that he saw involuntarily; he had a feeling, however, that Teddy's random changes were not what was causing his boyfriend's stunned silence. At that moment, the little boy looked as though he could be their son. They exchanged awkward glances but were saved the trouble of thinking of something to say by Molly popping her head around the door to see who it was. Upon seeing Teddy, she burst out laughing.

"Well, that's not something you see every day!"

The two men laughed nervously, each avoiding the other's eye. They were both embraced warmly by Molly before continuing along hallway to the living room, where they could hear a frantic-sounding Hermione.

"No, Danny… please stop that… no, don't do that! Give that to Mummy, it's not a toy! Danny -"

Harry and Draco jumped back against the wall just in time as two small children, one blonde and one ginger, streaked past them towards the garden, laughing gleefully as they carried a broomstick between them. Ginny suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Please don't tell me that those brats just ran out with my thousand-galleon racing broom?" her eyes flicked back and forth between Harry and Draco as though accusing them of something. Hermione emerged from the living room, wringing her hands anxiously.

"I'm so sorry Ginny, they just took it and wouldn't give it back!"

"And you couldn't overpower two three year-olds?" Ginny cried as she thundered down the stairs and out the door, wand in hand.

Draco gave Harry a meaningful look as she passed. Harry frowned and shook his head. Now did not seem to be the time to present Ginny with divorce papers but Draco was nothing if not persistent. The blonde nodded and gave him a gentle push in the direction of the door. Harry gulped; it was now or never. He made his way to the back door and was greeted by the sight of Ginny wrestling her broom out of Danny's grip. The toddler was squealing and giggling, which only served to anger her more. Harry shook his head and Summoned the broom with a flick of his wand, effectively breaking up the scene before him. Danny and Victoire shared a look, their eyes wide, and ran back into the house. He, however, made his way down into the garden, Ginny's broom over his shoulder.

"Thanks," she winked, sidling up to him. She placed a hand on his chest. "My knight in shining -"

"Stop it, Ginny," he said brusquely as he pushed her hand away. "I need to talk to you."

"Talk then," she snapped, looking annoyed that he'd spurned her advanced yet again.

Harry paused, dropping his gaze to the ground. There was no point beating about the bush. "I want a divorce."

There was silence. He looked up, expecting to see her crying or, more likely, angry, but was surprised to see her expression impassive.

"Well, I suppose, if that's what you think you need," she replied calmly.

"It is what I need, Gin," he said, less abruptly than before.

"Okay, I'll speak to Dad to see if he knows anyone in Magical Law and then -"

"There's no need for that," Harry reached inside his robes and pulled out a scroll of parchment. "These are divorce papers. Everything should be in order but feel free to have someone look over them before you sign them. Draco's lawyer has -"

"_Draco's_ lawyer?" she suddenly looked murderous. "I should have known that this was his idea!"

"He didn't push me into it or anything, Ginny!" Harry frowned. "I just think that getting a divorce would give you the closure that you obviously need!"

Ginny's face fell. "So this is for my benefit? Do you not need closure, Harry?"

"No," he said simply. "I've known that our relationship was over for a long time. I'm sorry, Ginny, but I don't love you anymore and you just need to accept that and let go. Just let me be happy with Draco," he pressed the scroll into her hands and turned to leave. As he reached the back door, she called his name.

"You're giving the house to Ron and Hermione?"

He turned to face her. "Yeah, they need it more than we do. Draco asked me to move in with him and you can use the money from my vault to buy a new place," he explained. She didn't react to this news and he took that as a sign that there was nothing more to say on the subject. He wiped his feet on the doormat and continued onwards into the house. Draco looked at him enquiringly as he entered the living room and he nodded once to let him know that he had done it.

People arrived in dribs and drabs and, when everyone was finally together and settled in, Molly announced that dinner was ready. Ginny did not join them outside, instead pleading a headache and retiring to her bedroom. When Ron broke the news of Hermione's pregnancy, every member of the family jumped to their feet to congratulate them, swarming around the couple in an enormous group hug. Harry smiled, waiting until the last Weasley had been seated before announcing that he would be moving in with Draco and transferring the ownership of Grimmauld Place from his name to Ron's and Hermione's. At this, Hermione burst into tears and flung herself across the table at him, while Ron clapped him on the shoulder, apparently speechless. He felt a rush of affection towards his best friends as he watched them exchange loving smiles, neither of them able to articulate their thanks. At this touching family scene, Draco wiped his mouth with a napkin and politely excused himself, making his way into the house to use the bathroom.

"Harry, mate… are you sure about this?" Ron asked, his arm still around Hermione's shoulders.

"Of course I am!" he grinned. "You guys need it far more than I do!"

"But what about Ginny?" asked Hermione, cocking her head.

"Well…" Harry's smile faltered and he was painfully aware that everyone had turn to watch their exchange. "I - I actually gave Ginny divorce papers tonight."

There was a moment of silence that was only punctuated by Danny babbling to Molly, who was listening with rapt attention to everything that was being said at the other end of the table.

"I'm so sorry, Harry," Hermione said, patting his arm sympathetically. "How did she take it?"

"Surprisingly well," Harry replied. "She seemed fine with it."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of raised voices coming from inside the house.

"What in Merlin's name…" Molly dropped her napkin on the table and got to her feet.

"Who is still in the house?" Bill asked, frowning.

"Well… Draco just nipped in to use the loo," Harry replied, looking non-plussed.

"And Ginny said she wasn't hungry," Molly added with a look of dawning comprehension.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look and they jumped to their feet, running into the house with Bill and George not far behind. The voices grew louder as they ran through the narrow corridor towards the stairs and Harry felt himself being pushed to the ground as a flash of red hit the wall just inches from where he had been standing. He could hear Ginny shrieking and he got to his feet cautiously to see her standing less than a foot away from Draco, throwing hexes and curses, which the blonde deflected easily. Her usually-pretty face was contorted with rage and her brow was misted with sweat from the effort of the spells that she was firing. She paused for just a second but that was all the time that Draco needed.

"Expelliarmus!" he yelled, catching her wand as it flew out of her hand. She gave an indignant screech and made to snatch it out of his grip but he was too fast and he held it high above her head.

"Give it back," she snarled.

"No," Draco said simply. "Not until you stop all of this madness."

"Madness?" she repeated, looking incredulous. "Trying to make my husband happy is madness?! Wanting what's best for him is _madness_?!"

"If you really wanted what was best for him then you'd give him the divorce and let him get on with his life!" Draco countered, dancing out of her reach as she made another swipe for her wand.

"His life is with _me_!" she growled. "You've just brainwashed him! Harry and I are meant to be together - I love him!"

"But he doesn't love you! How many times does he have to say it before you get it into your head that he's moved on?!"

"We've been together since we were at school! You don't _move on_ just like that!"

"Why can't you just accept that he's with me now?"

"Because you could never make him happy! Harry could never be happy with someone as selfish as you!"

"And wanting to keep him in trapped in a loveless marriage isn't selfish?"

Harry watched the exchange, his eyes wide and disbelieving. How could Ginny throw curses so casually, without batting an eyelid? If Harry felt so inclined, he could have her at the Ministry and charged with reckless use of magic before her feet even touched the ground. Luckily for her, Harry avoided arresting people unless it was completely necessary.

"Stop it, both of you!" he bellowed, drawing his wand.

"Harry!" Ginny's eyes widened and she instantly stopped trying to wrestle her wand from Draco's grip. "I was on my way -"

"Save it, Ginny," he spat, throwing her a disgusted look. "We heard everything and I would be willing to bet every galleon in my vault that you ambushed Draco on his way to the bathroom," she opened her mouth to argue but he raised a hand to silence her. "He's right though – why can't you just accept that it's over?"

"Because I know that you'll come back to me. He doesn't love you like I do, Harry," she smiled sweetly.

"You don't love me and you never have!"

"How can you say that?! I've loved you since the day that I met you!"

"And you had been brought up on Merlin knows how many stories about me before then. You idolised me and it only got worse when you finally met me," he said wearily. "We don't work together, Gin, it's as simple as that. I just need you to sign the divorce papers and then we can get on with our lives."

Her face crumpled. "You really don't love me?"

"No," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes shining with tears, she turned her gaze to Draco. "You did this."

"Pardon?" the blonde sneered.

"You stole him," she hissed, her eyes glinting dangerously. "We were perfectly happy together until you came along!" He looked alarmed as she took a step towards him. "You ruined everything."

"I can assure you that I did no such thing. It was ruined long before I -"

"It's all your fault!" she screamed. "You ruined everything!"

"I -"

"YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" she lunged at him with a wounded cry and placed her hands on his chest, shoving him hard. Harry watched, as if in slow-motion, as the Slytherin's fingers desperately scrabbled at the handrail, unable to prevent himself falling backwards down the stairs. His grey eyes were filled with terror and he was airborne for a less than a second before his head connected with the wall with a sickening crack and he tumbled gracelessly to the bottom, landing at Harry's feet with a dull _thud_.

-x-

_**A/N: **__Oh, I do love a good cliffhanger! You know how it works: reviews = cookies and so on and so forth… x_


	13. You're Just Jealous

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N: **__Hi guys, here is your weekly update, right on schedule. I hope you like it... x_

Chapter Thirteen: You're Just Jealous

"Draco!" Harry threw himself onto the ground beside his boyfriend's motionless form, his trembling hands unable to find a pulse. He cradled the Slytherin's platinum head and found that his hand was met with alarming dampness. He looked down at his palm to see that it was covered in blood.

"Is he -?" Ron shifted his weight nervously from foot to foot, unsure of what to do next. Suddenly, there was a crowd of people behind them as the rest of the family returned from the garden.

"Harry? You were gone an awfully long time and – good heavens! Arthur? Arthur, come quickly!"

"Merlin's beard! Harry, what happened?!"

Blinded by tears, Harry was dimly aware of someone's hand on his shoulder, pulling him away from Draco, but he shrugged them off. He opened his mouth to speak but found that his voice no longer worked. Finally, Ron pointed to the top of the stairs where Ginny stood, looking horrified at the scene playing out below. She was shaking like a leaf and looked as though she was about to be sick.

"Ginevra Weasley, you explain what happened RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Mrs. Weasley may have not have been the largest person in the world but her presence at that moment seemed to fill every available space until every member of the family was cowering away from her. Harry hugged Draco to him, everything he had learned in his Auror training momentarily forgotten, and he suddenly felt himself being dragged to his feet and, without warning, forced into a suffocatingly tight space. By the time he had blinked back the tears and cleared his head enough to register that he was in a busy waiting room and not the hallway of the Burrow, there was a loud _pop_ and Bill Weasley appeared at his side, carrying Draco's limp form. He strode over to a group of medi-witches and then glanced back at Harry, inclining his head to show that he was to follow. A medi-witch levitated Draco onto a stretcher and they walked behind as she wheeled him through a maze of corridors, finally reaching a door marked _Ground Floor: Artifact Accidents_.

"But there weren't any artifacts involved," Harry said, looking confused. "He was pushed down the stairs."

"Yes, but this department is less specialised than, say, Spell Damage, and his injuries can be healed easily by a medi-witch instead of taking up a Healer's time which could be used on a more pressing case," she explained.

"A more pressing case?" he spluttered, looking outraged. "He's unconscious! He's barely breathing!"

"Sir, I understand that you're worried but I assure you that we'll have him fixed up in no time," she said gently. "His injuries were not sustained from a spell and so he is not considered a critical case."

"Well, make him a critical case!" Harry had never used his celebrity for his own personal gain before but making sure that Draco had the best possible care was his priority. He drew himself up to his full height. "He is a head of department in this hospital – a hospital to which I have donated very generously over the past few years. I trust you're aware that I paid for the renovation of almost every room in the Janus Thickey ward?"

"Well, yes but -"

"I want him in a private room with the best Healer that this hospital has to offer!" Harry interrupted and she nodded fervently.

"Of course, Mr. Potter," she summoned another medi-witch and they spoke in hushed tones before grabbing the stretcher and directing it towards the lift. Once inside, they pressed the button for level four and continued onwards, finally stopping at a large private room at the end of a very long corridor. They indicated for Harry to sit down before they transferred Draco onto the pristine white bed and began bustling around the room, occasionally leaving for a moment and returning with a brightly coloured vial. He watched nervously, gripping the edge of the hard plastic chair and wishing that there was something he could do to help. Would there be a Healer willing to help an ex-Death Eater? From what Draco said, many of the staff who worked at the hospital either frostily polite but respectful of his ability to do his job, or simply tolerated him so as not to jeopardize their own. So many people had been affected by the war and, though it was long over, few people were willing to forgive those that caused their suffering. After what seemed like an hour had passed, Ernie Macmillan entered the room wearing Healers robes and the same slightly pompous expression that he had worn at Hogwarts. Harry almost passed out with relief; Ernie would not turn his back on anyone that needed his help, no matter who they were.

"Ernie!" he cried, jumping to his feet. "Thank Merlin!"

"Harry!" the ex-Hufflepuff shook his hand firmly, looking slightly surprised. "You're the last person I'd expect to see in Draco Malfoy's hospital room!"

"It's a long story," Harry replied, attempting a smile.

"I'll bet!" Ernie said cheerfully as he made his way over to Draco's bedside, pulling his wand out of his robes and drawing it back and forward in the air, casting various diagnostic spells over the Slytherin's chest. Every so often he would pause to make a note on the clipboard, nodding and murmuring to himself. After a few minutes, he replaced his wand and turned to Harry, a slight smile on his face. "Well, it's not as bad as it looks. The blow to his head was what knocked him unconscious but one of the medi-witches has given him a potion to keep him out of it for the pain, just until we can heal his other injuries. He has a couple of broken ribs and a fractured wrist but, aside from that, it's mostly just bumps and bruises," his smile widened at the look of relief on Harry's face. "He's going to be as right as rain, Harry."

The Gryffindor sank into his seat with his head in his hands and gave a shaky laugh. "Thank you, Ernie," he said, his voice muffled slightly. "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that."

"No problem," the other man replied, pulling the stopper out of a small vial. He sat Draco up slightly and emptied the contents into his mouth, massaging the blonde's throat to make him swallow. "It's my job."

"When can I talk to him?"

"We'll keep him heavily sedated overnight to allow the bones to knit together and then monitor his progress from there. I prefer to use Dreamless Sleep in minor bone healings like this as pain potion is very addictive and can cause adverse side-effects. I try to avoid it unless the patient is in a terrible way and I have no other choice. I don't like to give timescales in case the full extent of his injuries…" the Healer trailed off as he caught sight of the look on Harry's face. "However, I'm confident that he'll be fully healed and ready to go home tomorrow afternoon."

"Can I stay with him?"

"Well, yes, but he won't know that you're there," Ernie frowned. "You might as well go home and get some rest. Visiting hours are ten 'til eight so you can always come back..." he trailed off once more as the Gryffindor glared at him from the other side of the bed. "Of course you can stay, Harry. I'll arrange for pillows and a blanket to be brought through."

"Thanks, Ernie," he sighed as his friend left the room, closing the door behind him. Looking at his watch, he found that it was only eight o'clock but he couldn't remember ever feeling so tired. He turned out the hideous yellow light that was making his head pound and, toeing off his shoes, he slipped into bed beside his boyfriend, taking extra care not to press against his ribs. He kissed the blonde gently on the cheek and whispered, _I love you_, before closing his eyes and swiftly slipping from consciousness.

When he awoke, it was with a sense of panic that he couldn't quite place. He sat bolt upright, breathing heavily and squinting a little in the darkness, and fumbled for his wand. Casting a quick _lumos_, he shone the light on his watch and groaned when he saw the time: 3.30am He suddenly felt movement and he looked down to see Draco sleeping beside him, his feeling of unease leaving him instantly. Feeling his breathing return to normal, he lay on his side facing his boyfriend, a small smile on his face. He traced a finger over Draco's cheekbone, where an enormous purple bruise had appeared, and felt tears well in his eyes again. How could he have been so stupid? He knew how intent Ginny was on getting him back – how had it never occurred to him that she would attempt to remove any and all obstacles from her path? It was the most obvious thing in the world but Harry's vision was clouded by his do-gooder nature, which was determined to see the good in everyone. He buried his face into the crook of Draco's neck, pulling the blonde closer to him.

"I love you so much," he said thickly, a few tears escaping.

"Are you ever going to say that when I'm conscious?" Draco whispered back, his voice dry and scratchy.

"Draco!" Harry exclaimed, trying unsuccessfully to keep his voice down. "Thank Merlin you're alright!" he slackened his grip to avoid hurting him but the Slytherin grabbed his arm, effectively pinning him in his current position. The Gryffindor replaced his head on Draco's shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was pushed down the stairs," the blonde gave a wheezy laugh, sitting up slightly. "Can I have some water?"

Harry conjured a glass of water with a wave of his wand and pressed it into Draco's hand, watching intently to make sure he drank it all. In that moment of silence, it dawned on him what Draco had said as he woke up.

"What did you mean when… when you said about… when I said…"

"Relax, Harry, I know that you say it every night when you think I'm asleep," Draco grinned as he set the empty cup down on the bedside table. "I've been waiting for you to say it properly but it seems that you still can't do it, even after your psycho ex tried to kill me."

Harry frowned, dropping his gaze. "I'm so sorry about that."

"It wasn't your fault," Draco looked confused. "You didn't know that she would do that."

"But I should have guessed. I just didn't want to believe that things could get that out of control," Harry explained, adding quietly, "and I'm sorry for not telling you that I love you."

"It's okay. I knew that you felt it, even if you didn't say it."

"No, it's not okay. If you love someone, you should tell them every day, because -" he broke off, memories of everyone that he had lost flashing through his mind. Sirius asking him to move in with him. Remus announcing the birth of Teddy. His parents smiling and waving at him from the depths of the Mirror of Erised. Dumbledore surveying him through twinkling blue eyes, always ready to impart with advice or general insights into life's many hardships and confusions. Laughing and joking with Fred over various new Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. Dobby appearing at his bedside wearing mis-matched socks and more woolly hats than was practical. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to go on. "Because you might not have the chance again." Draco pulled him close and he felt tears well in his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time. It had been a long time since he had felt as safe as he did at that moment. "Everyone that I've loved has died."

"I'm not going to die," Draco said forcefully but Harry merely shook his head.

"Look at you!" he gestured to the Slytherin's many injuries. "My telling anyone that I love them is a curse! This would never have happened if we weren't together!"

"You think that this is the first time I've been beaten up?" Draco raised an eyebrow. "I'm an ex-Death Eater, Harry. Believe me, this is nothing."

"It's not _nothing_ to me! I mean, just look at you face - one side of it is completely purple!"

Draco's hand instinctively flew to his cheek and he smirked slightly. "Ah yes, that wasn't from my little… _tumble_. Your delightful wife hit me with a Trip Jinx as I entered the bathroom and the sink broke my fall."

"For fuck's sake, Ginny," Harry seethed, unable to express how angry he was with his ex-wife. Draco placed a hand on Harry's arm in an attempt to calm him down.

"It doesn't matter. Hopefully this has given her the shock that she needs," Draco said confidently. "She'll sign the divorce papers and you can get on with your life. With me," he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on Harry's lips, laughing as he pulled away. "_I'm _the one who was pushed down the stairs but I somehow end up looking after _you_! How does that work?!"

"I'm sorry! I'll take care of you from now on," Harry laughed, sitting up. "What would you like me to do?"

"No, no… never mind me!" Draco sniffed, the corners of his lips twitching upwards. Harry laughed loudly and began to tickle Draco's sides, causing the blonde to explode into peals of unrestrained laughter. The blonde fought with venom to remove himself from such a vulnerable position until their scuffle was interrupted by an irate-looking medi-witch opening throwing open the door and glaring at them.

"_This – is – a –hospital!" _she said in a harsh whisper, taking care to stress each word. "You are a head of department, Healer Malfoy – you should know better!" she turned her attention to Harry. "And as for you! Why are you in my patient's bed?! There are extremely ill people in this ward, all of whom are trying to sleep! Now, keep the noise down or I will be forced to move you."

And with that, she stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her and leaving Harry and Draco staring blankly at the place where she'd been standing. Slowly, they turned to look at each other and collapsed with silent giggles, trying their level best not to make any more noise. Clutching the stitch in his side, Harry turned to face Draco, who was pink in the face and wincing as he held his newly-mended ribs. He snorted again and Draco pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shh!" he admonished with a look of mock-annoyance but his shoulders shook with laughter and he pulled the brunette closer, placing a kiss on the end of his nose. "You're just being silly now," he tried to appear serious. "And you look like an idiot when you grin like that."

"Shut up!" Harry whispered, elbowing him. "You look like an idiot, period."

"Excuse you, Potter, I've never looked like an idiot in my life! I look fantastic and you're just jealous," Draco replied haughtily with his nose in the air.

Harry laughed and shook his head before hugged him back tightly. Smiling, he closed his eyes and whispered, "I love you, now go to sleep."

-x-

_**A/N: **__Quite a short chapter but we're coming to the end of this story and I'd rather get a few shorter chapters out to you quickly than take ages on a huge one and leave you hanging. Now, what did you think? x_


	14. Surprises

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N: **__Finally, an update! My writer's block has been back with a vengeance recently and it's been driving me crazy! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter :D x_

Chapter Fourteen: Surprises

Harry sat by Hermione's side as the Healer cast various spells over her rapidly swelling stomach and watched with amusement as she tried to conceal her excitement. She had maintained for the past few weeks that a baby would ruin her meticulously laid-out five-year plan but anyone who knew her well knew that the pink flush staining her cheeks only made an appearance when she was exceptionally pleased with herself.

"Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" the Healer looked directly at Hermione, her wand poised and ready.

"Can you tell already?" Hermione cocked her head and the older woman nodded. "Erm... okay, yes please!"

"Are you sure Ron won't mind? Don't you think that he'd want to be here when you find out?" Harry asked. Today was the day that he and Ron received the results of their Auror training exams and Mrs. Weasley had insisted that her son be at the Burrow when the owl arrived. Ron had been slightly put-out that he wouldn't be able to accompany Hermione to the hospital but said that he would rather she go with Harry than go alone.

"No, he said that he doesn't care if it's a boy or a girl, as long as it's healthy," she replied, turning to face the Healer, who smiled and handed her a vial of shimmering liquid. Eagerly, she downed the lot, pulling a face as she swallowed it. Harry squeezed her hand as the Healer waved her wand in mid-air and Hermione's stomach emitted a faint blue glow.

"Surprise suprise," the Healer laughed and shook her head. "It looks like there's going to be _another_ Mr. Weasley!"

Hermione looked faint. "It's... it's a boy?"

The Healer nodded, smiling broadly. "Some things never change!"

"Ron's going to be so happy!" Harry laughed. "I'll go out and Floo him now while you get finished up."

Hermione nodded, still looking dazed, and Harry left the room in search of a free fireplace. He made his way to the entrance hall where he was met by Ernie Macmillan.

"Hi, Ernie," he extended his hand.

"Good morning, Harry," Ernie shook his hand briefly. "I take it you received my owl?

Harry frowned. "What owl?"

"Oh, I assumed that was why you were here."

"No, I'm here with Hermione. She just found out the sex of her baby," Harry grinned. "She's having another boy."

"That's wonderful, you must give her my best wishes. Ron, too," Ernie gave a tight smile. "Listen, Harry, we sent you an owl this morning but you must have left before it reached you."

Harry's smile faltered at his friend's serious tone. "Is everything alright?"

"It's about Mrs. Tonks," Ernie cleared his throat. "She had a heart attack in the early hours of this morning."

"Andromeda? Is she okay?"

There was a long pause.

"I'm afraid she passed away an hour ago."

Harry's mouth fell open and he gaped at the man in front of him. He tried to think of something to say but there were so many words buzzing around in his head that he couldn't make sense of any of them. Ernie placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry watched as Ernie turned away and left and he jumped when someone touched his arm.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, her eyes filled with concern. He turned to face her, unable to believe what he was about to say.

"Andromeda's dead," he said in a voice that did not sound like his own. This voice was calm and sounded very far away. Hermione's face crumpled.

"What?" she gasped. "How? When?"

"Heart attack," he replied in the same strange voice. "She died this morning."

"She wasn't even that old!" she said, her eyes glassy. "Oh, Harry, what about Teddy? What are we going to tell him?"

"Oh Merlin, I hadn't even thought of that. What _are_ we going to tell him? He's going to be devastated. Fuck, what about funeral arrangements? I don't even know if she had a Will."

Hermione took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "There will be plenty time to think about that over the next few days. Now you need to concentrate on the Auror programme. Are you excited about getting your results?" she forced a smile and Harry found himself smiling back. He nodded and she Apparated them back to the Burrow, where Molly, Arthur, Ron, Bill, Fleur, Ginny and Draco were gathered around the kitchen table. There were two scrolls sitting side-by-side in the middle, almost like a centrepiece. There was a sombre atmosphere in the room.

"Did you hear?" Harry asked, his voice cracking. Everyone nodded sadly and Draco jumped to his feet, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I can't believe it," Arthur said, pulling out a handkerchief and polishing his glasses. "She was the same age as me and now..."

"It's just awful," Hermione remarked and there was a murmur of assent across the group.

After a long silence, Molly sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes. "Hermione, dear, how did it go at the hospital?"

"Oh, everything's fine. I found out the sex..." she trailed off, meeting Ron's eye and grinning.

"And?" Molly demanded, her eyes widening.

"It's a boy!" Hermione laughed as Ron jumped to his feet, enveloping her in a hug and grinning ear-to-ear.

"Another boy, that's wonderful!"

"Congratulations!"

"Do you have any names?"

Harry waited silently for the hubbub to die down. By the time everyone was re-seated, he was desperate to know his exam results and he turned to face Ron.

"How did you do?"

"I don't know. I wanted to wait for you to get here before opening mine. Malfoy brought your results over," the redhead replied, handing Harry a scroll marked _For the attention of Ronald Bilius Weasley- CONFIDENTIAL_ in very neat, curly script. "I can't look at mine though. You can open mine and I'll open yours."

Harry didn't know what to feel. There were so many mixed emotions in the room. He was over the moon for his friends; he was devastated about Andromeda; he was worried about what would happen to Teddy; he was nervous about his results; he was nervous about_ Ron's_ results; he was touched that Draco cared enough about him to spend the morning with the Weasleys; the list was endless. He and Ron each gripped the end of their respective scrolls and, after silently counting to three, they gave a nod and tugged. Harry felt all the air leave his lungs as he read the words on the page and emerald green met ocean blue as the two friends searched the other's face for some hint of what was written in front of them.

"You passed!" they cried in unison and everyone around the table laughed, getting to their feet to congratulate them. Trying to ignore the guilty feeling gnawing at him, he smiled and laughed with his friends. He knew that he had every right to be happy and proud at this moment but he couldn't help thinking of Andromeda. And Teddy. Poor Teddy had lost both of his parents and both of his grandparents before he could even write his own name, something that Harry could identify with. He knew what it was like to grow up with no real family and he would rather die than put his godson through that. In a split-second, he made a life-changing decision and found that there was no doubt in his mind about what he had to do. He cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him.

"I'm not going to take the Auror position. I'm going to adopt Teddy."

-x-

A week later, Harry sat opposite one of the most respected women in Wizarding Britain, quill in hand as he scrawled a signature at the bottom of a lengthy scroll of parchment. He handed it back to her and she tapped it with her wand, a rare smile on her heavily lined face.

"I'm so glad that you changed your mind about my offer, Mr. Potter."

"Well, Professor, I'm just lucky that the offer was still standing by the time I did change it," he grinned, taking the Ginger Newt that she offered him.

"There was no luck involved, Harry," she surveyed him over her square spectacles. "I had a feeling that you would change your mind, especially in light of recent events," Harry looked at her quizzically and she smiled again. "After Andromeda, you are Teddy's legal guardian and you were never one to stand by and watch when someone needed help."

Harry snorted. "Yeah, my _hero-complex_ is almost as well-known as I am."

"It's no bad thing, Harry," she said kindly. "It is what's going to make you a fantastic teacher. In fact, I have an extra... _duty_... that I would like you to take on. When I took over the post of Headmistress I really should have passed it on but I was so fond of my students that I really... I never found anyone that I..." she paused, looking him directly in the eye. "Harry, I would like you to take over as Head of Gryffindor."

Harry was stunned. "Me? Head of Gryffindor? Are you sure?"

"Of course I am!" she looked stern for a moment and Harry couldn't help but feel as though he were sixteen again and about to receive a detention. "Do you think I would joke about the future of my House?!"

"Professor, I'm honoured. Of course I'll do it," he could hardly believe what he was hearing. She smiled again and got to her feet, shaking his hand with both of her own. "Welcome aboard, Potter. I'll see you in September."

He took a handful of glittering powder from the pot by the fireplace and threw it into the flames. Taking a step forward, he shouted, _the Burrow_, and waited until the grates had stopped spinning in front of him before stepping out of the fire and dusting himself off on the rug.

"So?" Hermione got to her feet and looked at him expectantly.

"You're looking at the newest Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher!" Harry announced proudly.

"Congratulations, _Professor_," came a drawling voice from the doorway and Draco stepped into the room.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, his face splitting into a huge grin.

"Waiting for you," the Slytherin replied, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. "I couldn't wait all day to hear the news so I thought I'd pop in on my lunch break. I was helping Molly with lunch."

Harry couldn't describe how amazing it felt to hear Draco talk about his family with such ease. It was hard to believe that there had once been a time when the Malfoys and the Weasleys had been, quite literally, at war. He pulled the blond into a hug and pressed a kiss to his neck, trying to convey all of his feelings with that one simple action. Draco seemed to understand because, as he pulled away, he nodded, a soft smile on his face.

"There's something else," he looked around as Mrs. Weasley joined them in the living room. "McGonagall made me Head of Gryffindor."

Hermione threw herself on him, obscuring his vision with a mass of bushy hair, but he heard Draco's voice from behind him.

"So you're like some sort of Gryffindor king? Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse..." Harry spun around to face his now smirking boyfriend.

"Yep, I'm the king of Gryffindor now. I don't know if I can continue to be associated with any sneaky Slytherins," he teased.

"Is that so?" Draco raised an eyebrow. "I hope Teddy's in Slytherin when he goes to Hogwarts."

"I doubt it, his parents were two of the bravest Gryffindors I've ever known," Harry replied with a sense of pride mingled with sadness. He gave a small smile. "I love that kid. I can't wait to adopt him."

"Your meeting at the Ministry is next month, isn't it?" Draco asked and Harry nodded happily. Draco had been amazing throughout the whole situation. Not only had he supported Harry's decision to adopt Teddy, but he had stepped down as the Head Healer of his department and cut his hours by almost half so that he would have more time to help look after the child. They both knew that this was their chance to have the family they thought they'd never have. "I'd like to adopt him too."

"That'd be great," Harry began. "But the woman at the Ministry said that for both of us to adopt him, we would have to be married."

"Okay," Draco replied, shrugging.

"Okay, what?" Harry looked alarmed.

"Okay, let's get married," Draco said simply.

"What? Are you crazy?"

Draco looked crestfallen. "I ask you to marry me and that's your reply?"

"I didn't mean it to sound like that but -"

"You said that you wanted a family!"

"I do, it's just -"

"Just what, Harry? Just not with me?" Draco's hurt quickly turned to anger.

"Of course not! I just think we should wait until we know for sure."

"Know what? I know that I love you so what would we be waiting for?"

"I don't know, I just don't want to jump into anything without thinking it through."

"What is there to think through? We love each other, we live together and soon we're going to be looking after a child. What better time is there to get married?"

"Getting married is a huge commitment! It's a legally binding contract that involves a huge amount of time, money and emotional trauma if it falls apart."

"You think that we're going to fall apart?"

"No, of course not, but -"

"Then why can't we get married?"

"Maybe I just don't ever want to get married again," Harry said flatly, not looking at Draco. He suddenly became very aware of the fact that Hermione was standing behind them and he felt his face flush.

"Never?" Draco asked in a small voice.

"No," Harry whispered before turning on his heel and walking out, catching a final glimpse of Hermione cradling Draco as he fell apart.

-x-

_**A/N: **__Poor Draco! I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who would marry him! Sadly, I think Harry would have something to say about that. Anyway, please review! x_


	15. Plain and Simple

_**Summary:**__ Draco is a Healer, Harry is an Auror. When an accident sends Harry to St Mungo's and into Draco's care they begin to wonder if things can ever go back to the way they were._

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story._

_**A/N: **__Chapter fifteen – finally! I have no excuses, I've just been blocked terribly with this story and working on a lot of one-shots in the background. My sincere apologies xo_

Chapter Fifteen: Plain and Simple

When Harry returned to the flat that night, Draco was nowhere to be found. He wasn't too worried; whenever they had fought in the past, Draco had gone out and gotten drunk with Pansy. He was sure that he would be back, pissed as a fart, at around two o'clock. He waited until two-thirty before going to bed but he didn't sleep. He rolled around for an hour before admitting defeat and sneaking into Draco's potions cupboard, pilfering a vial of Dreamless Sleep from his private supplies. After downing the contents, he slipped into a sleepy haze almost instantly and did not wake until ten-thirty. He rubbed his eyes and looked blearily around the room, squinting slightly as the bright morning sun filtered through the gap in the curtains. He lifted his wand, a quick _Homenum Revelio_ confirming that there was no-one else in the flat. So, Draco had not come home. Harry frowned and made his way through to the living room, fully aware that doing what he was about to do before midday could end with him on the wrong end of a wand. Grabbing a handful of Floo powder from the mantelpiece, he threw it into the flames and got to his knees.

"Pansy Parkinson!" he called, waiting for her living room to swim into view. A few moments passed before anyone answered him.

"Potter?" Pansy took a seat on the couch wearing nothing but pink knickers, a black bra and the previous night's make-up. Her long black hair was loose and, somehow, she still managed to look incredibly sexy. She did not seem to be embarrassed that she had no clothes on and her disheveled appearance was strangely alluring. She lit up a cigarette and surveyed him through smudged eyes. "What do you want?"

"Is Draco there?"

"Why would I tell you?" she asked in a bored voice.

"Because he didn't come home last night and I'm worried," he said seriously, giving her a look that plainly said he wasn't in the mood to put up with her bullshit. She sighed.

"Yes, he's here."

"Can I come over?"

"He's sleeping," she said shortly.

"Can you wake him up then?" Harry was beginning to get annoyed.

"I think I woke him when I got up to answer your call."

"What do you mean? Where is he?"

"In my bed," Pansy replied, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. She caught Harry's alarmed expression and rolled her eyes. "Relax, Potter, he's all yours. As much as the thought of having Draco in my bed excites me, I'm sadly lacking in the penis department so I really don't see it working between us."

It was Harry's turn to sigh. "Funny. Can I come over now?"

"Merlin, you don't give up, do you? Fine, come over but don't be surprised if he _Crucio_'s you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked as he stepped out of the fireplace. He dusted himself off quickly and met Pansy's gaze.

"What the hell do you think I mean? How stupid _are_ you?"

"Where do you get off calling me stupid?" he cried, looking furious.

"Around the same place you get off turning down my best friend!" she shot back, jabbing a finger into his chest. "He proposes to you and you say that you never want to get married again!"

"He didn't exactly _propose_," Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "He just…"

"He just asked you to marry him," she finished sarcastically. "He's fucking heartbroken about this!"

"I think _heartbroken_ is a bit strong, Pans," came a cold voice from behind them and they both turned to see Draco leaning against the doorframe in his boxers, his arms folded across his chest. "What are you doing here, Potter?"

"I was worried about you," Harry said quietly, not looking at him. "You didn't come home."

"Obviously not, seeing as I was here."

Harry flinched at Draco's sharp tone. "I don't want you to be angry at me."

"Why would I be angry at you? It's not like I proposed or anything," the blond replied, studying his fingernails. Harry flushed at his words and crossed the room in three strides, stopping within inches of the Slytherin. He reached for Draco's hand but the other man jerked it from his grip, not meeting his gaze, and Harry felt as though his heart might break. He could handle Draco's anger – Hell, he'd had almost a decade's worth of practice! – but this was something entirely different. Over the years, he had been the subject of countless malicious comments, disapproving sneers and bad-tempered outburst, all of which were signs that he was worthy of Draco Malfoy's attention, be it good or bad. He was used to being on the receiving end of jeers, hexes, even punches, courtesy of the Slytherin but he had not been at all prepared for this: cold indifference. He tried again to touch the blond but he was rewarded with a sharp slap on the wrist for his efforts. "I don't think that's a good idea just now," he said with a warning look.

"Draco, what do you want from me?" Harry looked at him pleadingly.

"Everything," came the reply.

"You have everything!" Harry cried. "I left my wife for you! I got a divorce like you asked me to and I moved into your flat!"

"I want a proper life with you!"

"You have a life with me!"

"No, I want everything. Every part of you. I want to know that you'll be with me, only me, until the end," Draco said, his jaw set determinedly.

"Of course I will! I love you and do you really think that I'm going to let you go after everything that's happened over the past few months?" Harry looked at him incredulously.

"I can't just take your word for it, Harry, I need a commitment."

"Haven't I done enough to prove to you that I'm in it for the long haul?"

"Obviously not!"

"I didn't even know that marriage was an issue in this relationship; you haven't mentioned it once!"

"Well, neither did I," Draco said dejectedly. "I wasn't bothered until you said that it wasn't an option and now it's all I can think about," Harry watched as Draco's shoulders sagged, a defeated look marring his perfect, slightly pointed face. "I love you, Harry, but I don't think that I can be with someone who doesn't want the same things as me. I'm sorry."

Harry felt as though someone had filled his innards with lead. "So this is… you're - you're finishing with me?"

Draco nodded, looking thoroughly miserable.

"After everything that's happened?" Harry blinked back tears. "You're willing to throw it all away just because I don't want to get married?"

"What's the point in being with someone if you know that you have no future together?"

"No future? What do you call living together and raising a child together? Is it just me that thinks that sounds pretty damn amazing?"

Draco cleared his throat. "Please don't make this any harder than it already is. I've made my decision."

"But -"

"Stay at the flat for as long as you want. I'll stay here with Pansy."

"Draco, please don't do this."

"I'm sorry. Goodbye, Harry."

-x-

Draco heard the telltale _woosh_ of flames meaning that Harry had finally left and he curled up into a ball on Pansy's bed, unable to believe what he had done. He felt the bed sink a few inches as Pansy took a seat behind him but he couldn't turn to look at her. He was dimly aware that she was talking to him but she sounded very far away and Draco didn't have the strength to decipher what she was saying. The room swam in and out of focus. He tried his hardest not to replay the scene in his head but every time he turned his attention to something else, Harry's heartbroken expression swam to the forefront of his memory. Oh god, he had broken up with Harry. He would never get to hold him again, never feel his soft lips against his. Draco's stomach lurched violently and he leaned over the edge of the bed, wretching. Pansy wordlessly vanished the pool of vomit and pushed his hair away from his face, a look of pity gracing her pretty face. It was then that Draco realised he was crying – great, shuddering sobs that wracked his body and left his throat raw. Pansy pulled him into a bone-crushing hug and whispered empty promises of how things would get better, how Potter wasn't worth it anyway. That only made it worse, because Harry was worth it. Of course he was. The realisation that Draco would never again be able to touch Harry made him see that he didn't really need a commitment from the Gryffindor, he just wanted to be with him. He would take him any way he could have him. But it was too late; he had been the one to stamp his feet and kick his toys out of his pram the second things didn't go his way. He could hardly turn up at the flat, tell him that he changed his mind the instant that Harry left and expect to be welcomed back. He had made his own bed and now he would simply have to lie in it.

-x-

Harry stumbled out of the fireplace and took a seat on the couch, feeling dazed. Had that really just happened? Had Draco honestly just broken up with him? He didn't know where to look, how to sit, what to do with himself; he had a million thoughts buzzing around his head and he was finding it hard to pick one to focus on. His first instinct was to Floo straight back over to Pansy's and begging Draco to change his mind, to take him back and live with him and Teddy. He closed his eyes and saw the blond's beautiful grey eyes staring back at him; his perfect mouth, with the corners turned up in a smirk; his smooth, pale skin, so soft to the touch…

What the fuck was he thinking? Why wouldn't he want to be married to Draco? Was he just scared because his marriage to Ginny had gone so horribly pear-shaped? Because the two relationships couldn't have been more different, and Draco most certainly wasn't Harry's ex-wife. Why did he think that the same thing would happen if he married Draco? He loved Draco with all his heart. What good would it do though? He couldn't exactly turn up at Pansy's flat ten minutes after Draco had dumped him and say "_I've changed my mind, I will marry you after all!",_ could he? That would make him look ridiculous. Draco had already made up his mind and Harry would just have to respect his decision, plain and simple.

-x-

_**A/N:**__ TINY chapter, I know, but I will get a better update to you as soon as I can! Thank you for your patience with this story, I'm determined to finish it if it kills me xo_


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